The Bucket List
by deceptive-serenade
Summary: If we don't complete the Bucket List, we won't graduate. Run if you hear us say the words "Bucket List" – you'll get involved, too. Albus/OC Rose/Scorpius
1. I Had Better Be Dreaming

Beta-read by the amazing Saval (dream_BIG) at hpff. :D

**Chapter One: I Had Better Be Dreaming**

_May 2_

"I'm _what?_"

"You're still failing Defence Against the Dark Arts, Miss Wood." I practically pouted at Professor Lupin, who was actually really hot, but tried to ignore that fact as he glared back with a look that clearly said, _There's nothing I can do._

This is impossible. I've been working my butt off for the past three months just to bring up my grade. I can't still be _failing. _Plus, I've spent my seven years at Hogwarts perfecting the puppy dog eyes that I'm aiming at Lupin. How is it not working?

Lupin shifted uneasily, but stood his ground. His eyes grew rather impatient as he realized what I was doing. Game's up. I sighed.

"What's my grade?" I asked dejectedly, my voice getting slightly caught in my throat.

"Same as ever." _Troll. _I had the brains of a troll in this stupid, stupid subject.

I don't remember how I passed my O.W.L. at _all._

I cleared my throat. "What should I do? Drop the subject?" Professor Lupin shook his and smiled, sending butterflies through my stomach. But it was nothing compared to a certain boy, who happened to be walking up to Professor Lupin right now and –

Okay, _what_ is Albus Potter doing here?

"You wanted to see me, Teddy?" he asked sort-of rudely, owing to the fact that Lupin and I were talking, but this is probably the closest I've been to him. Ever.

Yeah, that's an exaggeration. He's my twin brother's best friend, and I hang out with their group from time to time. It's just that I never really talk to him, because I either get really tongue-tied or say stupid things around him. He probably thinks I'm a mouse or something, because I usually glue my mouth shut.

But _still. _He's hot.

And I'm pathetic.

And why, you ask, am I in love with a bloke who I barely know? It's not because his father is the saviour of the wizarding world, or that he's on the Gryffindor Quidditch team, or because he's fit – though that certainly helps, I'm not going to lie – no, it's because he's sweet. His best friend is Rose Weasley, who also happens to be my best friend. He's protective, listens to her, helps her out … he just never notices who her friends are.

Okay, so he knows who I am. Big deal.

So, contributing to my pathetic love for Al Potter, I let him interrupt this conversation - this highly embarrassing chat that he probably overheard. He now knows I'm failing this subject.

Oh well, at least he doesn't know I have a "T", right?

This whole "let's look on the bright side" thing doesn't work to well with someone like me, does it? No, it just really pisses people off.

"This is your new tutor, Miss Wood," Lupin said brightly, as though he thought this was the greatest idea he'd ever had. Albus Potter turned to me and for the first time, acknowledged my existence by giving me a small smile. My knees shook a little.

How does he _do _that?

It seemed that Lupin had no idea of this world-altering event, because he kept going. "I'm sure the top student of this class can help you bring up that 'T' in no time!" he said cheerfully. I blushed furiously, glaring at Lupin defiantly.

That's right, Lupin. Just keep on embarrassing me in front of the love of my life. Go ahead. At least Al had the tact to hold back a snigger.

He's perfect, isn't he?

"You two can meet here, alright?" he added before sweeping from the room, leaving the two of us alone. _Alone._

Is he_ trying_ to kill me?

This is a dream, it has to be. There's no way in reality that I could be this close to Albus Potter and not do something highly embarrassing, like throw up on his shoes. Or any part of him, really.

Yep, when I open my eyes, I will be relaxing in a warm, comfy bed in my dormitory, cursing the alarm clock. I'll be in that sleepy state, brushing my teeth and saying 'good morning' to Rose instead of discussing my troll-like brains with the love of my life.

I should pinch myself!

… never mind. Didn't work.

"So what time is good for you?" Al asked politely, looking at me curiously as I winced in pain. The colour rose back into my face, and I glanced down to my shoes.

"After classes, I suppose," I mumbled, shoving my hands in the pockets of my robes. He paused before breaking into a huge smile that fully reached his eyes.

Oh, butterflies.

"Do you really have a 'T' in this class?" he asked earnestly. "Or are you faking it?"

_Excuse me?_

My head shot up and I scowled at his beaming face, shining eyes, messy hair and all.

"What do you mean, _'faking it'_?" I snapped at him, a little more harshly then intended. "Why would anyone want a bloody 'T' this late in the year? In Defence Against the Dark Arts? That's a mandatory class for anyone who wants to become a Healer! I don't want a sodding 'T'!" Al's eyes widened and he stepped back, probably fearing his life at this point.

Okay, I know what you're thinking. Why am I hating on the love of my life?

It's because he's being a git, that's why – and I have absolutely no tolerance for them. Even if he does have really nice eyes. Honestly, it was a natural reaction. I didn't mean to explode at him, but he deserved it.

He should snog me. Just to shut me up.

Except my anger melted as he laughed nervously, holding his hands up in defence. "I didn't mean it like that," he said sincerely. "It's really hard to get a 'T' in Teddy's class, because he hates failing people." I let out a sigh and swung my bag over my shoulder, not glancing back as my face burned in humiliation.

"Wait, Sophia! I didn't mean it!" he called again, but I didn't stop, or turn back. The last thing I wanted Albus Potter to know was that I was failing this class, let alone tutor me in the subject.

Oh, and we had gotten off to a lovely start, too! He'll totally fall in love with me now.

At least he doesn't think I'm a mouse anymore, right? I mean, I actually uttered a few coherent sentences around him! That has to count for _something._

…I really wish this was a dream.

"Rose," I groaned to her, my nose practically touching the parchment in frustration. "I don't _care_ about national Quidditch tryouts. I don't _care_ if the Holyhead Harpies are going to win this year, I just want to pass – _are you even listening to me_?" I had lifted my head from the parchment to see Rose's eyes glued to _Quidditch Through the Ages._

"Rose?" I tried tentatively, but she seemed to have gone deaf. "ROSE!"

"I can't help you with Defence," she answered monotonously, her eyes blurring across the pages. I gaped at her.

"Of course you can! You're the best in our year!" I cried, getting down on my knees in desperation. Yes, I needed help _that badly_. "I'll do your homework."

"It's Quidditch! You stink at Quidditch!"

"I'll let you teach me Quidditch."

"In your dreams, Soph."

"I'll do your hair."

"Don't you remember the last time you tried that?"

"I'll bring you food."

"I'm not hungry."

"I'll get Scorpius to ask you out."

"Don't you _dare_."

"Come on Rose, I'll do anything! You're my only hope!"

She sighed and shut the book in resignation. "You're an idiot, Soph," she told me bluntly. "I dropped Defence, remember?" I scowled at her.

"I don't bloody _care_, Weasley," I growled in what I hoped to be my most threatening tone. "I need your help."

Rose surveyed me closely. "I thought Al was going to tutor you."

"Right, Rose. Because I'm going to ask help from the guy that I just screamed at for being a git." Honestly, where does she get these ideas?

"Well, _I _can't help you, can I?" We glared at each other. I don't like dream-Rose very much. When I wake up, I'll have to talk to her about this understanding-her-best-mate-is-in-love-with-her-cousin deal.

Merlin, help me.

Okay, I can do this. I can totally talk to Al without gurgling, or drooling, or something of that sort. I'll keep my bib in my dorm.

No, I don't actually have a bib. Goodness.

I clutched the parchment tightly, hoping my hands didn't sweat onto it, and approached the boy's dormitory tentatively, wishing very much that I could wake up. Right now.

I shouldn't be this apprehensive! I've been up here loads of times – and not like that. Get your mind out of the gutter. It's because of my twin, Luke. He's probably my best friend, even before Rose. I don't know how many times he's told me to shut up about Al, who happens to be best friends with him.

Everyone but me, huh? How does he not know I exist?

"…it's like she doesn't know I exist!"

Whoever said that totally just stole my thoughts.

I crouched down and pressed my ear against the door. I feel incredibly guilty to be eavesdropping, but who cares? Certainly not me.

"Scorp, you sound like a chick. We need to figure out the Bucket List, first. Are you sure we're the only ones who know about it?

"Pretty sure," answered my brother's voice, which was right near the door. I nearly snorted. Clearly, they're not very perceptive. They should check outside their freaking door.

… on second thought, they might kill me.

"Okay, I'll cast the charm," rang Al's sweet voice. I felt a swooping sensation as silence fell in the room. I hardly dared to breathe. What was happening?

"Mates, there's someone else who knows," said his nervous voice. My stomach dropped.

"Who?" Suddenly, the door opened and I fell forward at the feet of Luke, who was, to say the least, completely shocked.

"Soph! Were you here this entire time?" he whispered, helping me up. I looked down guiltily at my shoes as he shut the door in a hurry.

"Yeah, I didn't mean to overhear – would it kill you guys to wear shirts in here?"

Every. Single. Time. Not that I'm complaining, but I swear they're just showing off.

"It's nearly summer, Soph," Luke said dismissively with a wave of his hand. "Did you hear the words –" he lowered his voice considerably "– Bucket list?" I looked blankly at him.

"Yeah, so?" I said, very confused. Luke kicked over a pile of clothes; Scorpius Malfoy buried his face in his hands; Aiden Thomas threw a sock ball at the wall and Al hit his head against his headboard. I blanched at their reactions; what was going on?

"I needed help with my Defence homework," I admitted to the ground. From his bed, Al let out a groan.

"You've got to be kidding me."

Well, that was a positive response.

"Well, I'm _sorry,_" I snarled, flaring up immediately. Oh, please let this be a dream. I was sure my face had turned an attractive shade of tomato red. "You _are_ my tutor, though –"

"Not that," Scorpius cut across me. "You're under the spell. You have the complete everything on this Bucket List or you won't graduate."

I felt my face grow hot. "What's a Bucket List? What spell did you use?"

Al sat up, an expression of utter dismay upon his face. My stomach sank lower. "We heard it from McGonagall – they used to use this spell for students who were failing every subject and tried to trick their name onto the graduation list."

"As far as we know, you have to complete everything on the list and you'll be fine," Aiden piped up, throwing another sock at the wall. "A Bucket List is usually a list of things to do before you die, but this one's just for graduation." I turned back to Luke, who was reading the list in disgust.

"Guys, my sister can't do any of this stuff," he mumbled with narrowed eyes. I snatched the list from him.

"What makes you think _that_?" I said, slightly hurt. I scanned the List, which was written so untidily, I could barely make out the words.

_The Bucket List_

_1. Swim in the Black Lake_

_2. Plan a party_

_3. Sneak into Hogsmeade at night_

_4. Drink Firewhiskey_

_5. Embarrass yourself (on purpose)_

_6. Do something you're scared of_

_7. Pull off a great prank_

I forced the list back into Luke's hands, shaking with anger. "I can do _any _of this stuff," I said in a low voice, advancing slightly. "Just because I'm two minutes younger than you –"

"It still means I'm older!" he said defensively, stepping back a little.

Ha! I knew he'd be scared. I didn't even _need _my wand!

"Luke, she doesn't have a choice. McGonagall said there wasn't a counter spell, remember?" My eyes snapped over to him.

"No way. I can't risk not graduating! I'm already failing Defence!" I felt the tears welling up in my eyes. I can't believe they would do something utterly stupid as this.

"Don't worry," Aiden flirted from the corner, ever the womanizer. "I can help you." In a second, Luke pounced on him, his Quidditch skills finally being put to good use.

And this, my friends, is why I don't have a boyfriend.

"Don't you _dare_ touch my sister," he snarled, putting Aiden in a headlock. Aiden's eyes bugged out of their sockets; I blinked back the tears and began to laugh.

"Don't worry about Defence," Al advised me, smiling at me. I felt my stomach flip over as he walked towards me and said, "Can I see the homework?"

Without your shirt on? I don't think so. I'd probably faint from being too close.

"You're not mad at me?" I asked him curiously, but he only laughed.

"I'm kind of glad you're not mad at me," he admitted, ruffling his black hair a little. "I said some pretty stupid things."

Pinch me. _Now._

"The teacher better be behind this," Luke shouted to Al, releasing Aiden and looking satisfied. Al shrugged nonchalantly as Luke forced a copy of the list back into my hands. "You can't tell anyone about this, not even Rose," he said seriously, looking to my eyes. I tugged my blonde hair in nervous habit, scanning the list again.

"Sneak out?" I asked uncomfortably, looking at Luke. If only Rose knew…

"Probably a good idea not to tell Weasley," Scorpius informed me, as if he knew exactly what I was thinking about. He leaned back on his bed wearily. "Can you leave, now? I'd like to get some shut-eye." I scowled.

"It's nine-thirty, you jerk."

He waved a hand. "Details."

My face fell as I read through the list carefully. Maybe Luke was right; I would never take these sorts of risks. Why oh why must I be so terrible at Defence Against the Dark Arts? Why did I choose to eavesdrop?

With shaking hands, I gave Albus my homework, mind full and reeling. It felt so long ago when I didn't have a stupid list compromising my future. Luke put a comforting arm around me.

"Welcome to the Next Generation Marauders!"

_This had better be a dream._


	2. I WASN'T Dreaming?

**Chapter Two: I WASN'T Dreaming?**

_May 6_

"Sophia, get up."

Stop. Stop that infernal noise, whoever that is! You're obnoxiously loud and have no need to be at… I am not cracking _one eyelid _to check the time. It is _Friday._ I have a free period first!

"Wake up or I'm going to tell Al that you drool in your sleep."

That would be awful, except I _don't_ drool in my sleep. So what're you going to do, Luke? Tell a lie?

Bugger. He could. There is the small fact that Albus Potter doesn't care about my non-existent drool.

Wait, Luke?

I threw off my covers and glared at my brown-haired, grey-eyed sibling. "How did you get in here?" I demanded furiously, rubbing the sleep out of my eyes and stretching. "I don't drool in my sleep, by the way."

"Do too."

"Do not."

"Do too."

"Do not."

"Do too."

"Do NOT!"

"Who do you think he's going to believe?"

I crossed my arms defiantly. "His student."

"Will not. He told me that he's scared of the practical work you guys are going to get started on next week." I groaned, gripping my blonde hair tightly.

"He didn't say he was scared! He said he was _apprehensive!" _

"Which is the same thing as being frightened!" Luke countered just as stubbornly. I sighed.

"What are you doing here? I don't think it was to threaten me." Though I wouldn't put it past him.

"How did you get in here?" asked Rose sleepily from her bed, propping herself up on her elbows. "Not the stairs, right?"

Rose, you really are stupid in the morning.

"Am not!"

Oops, out loud!

"Flew in through the window," Luke answered impatiently, "but that's not the important thing. Get up, I need to go to Quidditch practise soon and the guys will have my head if I'm late." I groaned and flopped back onto my bed.

"Then _go. _I don't remember asking you to drop in," I mumbled, throwing the covers over me. Luke tugged at them, actually starting to whine.

I thought _he_ was the older one.

"Come on, Phi," he whined loudly, causing some of the other girls in the dorm to throw pillows at him. I groaned.

The childhood nickname? Really? _Why _must he be so adorable when he does that?

"Luke, what time is it?" I asked wearily, pulling the covers off and looking up at him. He grinned sheepishly, stepping back a tiny bit.

"Fiveinthemorning," he said in the rushed voice, blending the words together, "but I have a good reason – ow!" Rose had picked up a shoe and flung it at his head, satisfying her aim with a loud _clunk._

Hope it left a mark.

"It's about the, you know," he practically begged, rubbing his throbbing head impatiently. I stared at him with a raised eyebrow.

"No, I don't know," I told him, and he jumped up and down.

"The… err… how can you not remember? Sophia, you have got to be kidding me!"

"She's not." I scowled at the four sleepy voices around me in unison. Thanks for the help, guys. I thought we were going to be besties forever and sit around laughing when we we're old, grey and can barely walk.

Actually, never mind. I think I might die of frustration if I had to be around Vanessa Brown for the rest of my life. She's like the head cheerleader of the school, except with brown hair (she's actually _envious_ of the blonde mess on the top of my head, let me tell you). Seriously though, she actually makes up cheers and prances around the Quidditch pitch wearing practically nothing but face paint whenever there's a game! And every single time, she gets in trouble for breaking the dress code.

Hey, I didn't say she was a smart one. Only the snobbiest girl ever to enter Hogwarts.

"Luke, quit staring at her," I snapped, his head turning automatically towards Vanessa and the very little she wore to bed. "Luke!"

"Huh?" he stuttered incoherently, still staring at her bed. I threw my comforter on top of him. Luke has had the biggest crush on her since she threw a quill at him in first year. Honestly, he's more helpless than I am.

I cannot believe I just admitted that. Even in my _mind_.

"Why did you come in here in the first place?" I asked, frustrated that he had thrown off the blanket and was slightly drooling from the sight of the silly bimbo sleeping.

Ha! See? Who's drooling now!

He seemed to wake as he looked from his broom, to me, then back to his broom. A grin was slowly growing onto his face.

Well, I'm scared.

The next thing I know, I'm on the back of his freaking broomstick and hurtling towards the ground at alarming speed. According to Luke, it's called a dive. According to me, it's called a _death wish._

"LUKE, YOU INSUFFERABLE AND PATHETIC EXCUSE FOR A BROTHER –"

"Soph, I couldn't say it with everyone in there! That's why you're stuck in this mess in the first place!" I barely heard him as I screamed loudly, making sure it was into his ears.

"Merlin, Soph, way to damage my hearing!"

Let's just say I _really _hate Quidditch.

Actually, that would be a lie – I'm just terrified of flying ever since I fell off a broom when I was younger. I'm probably the only person in my family that doesn't play Quidditch and is deathly afraid of a piece of wood with a charm on it. It's a death trap, and my entire family is in denial.

It was a traumatic experience, okay?

I love watching Quidditch, though. After Vanessa stops flashing and leaves the pitch, it's really an intense game.

"What couldn't you say, exactly?" I said, screwing my face in anticipation and clinging onto Luke's Quidditch robes. He exhaled impatiently as we glided over the pitch, towards the change rooms.

"Luke, I am _not _going in the – Luke, they're changing!" My idiot of a brother had pushed the change room door open with his feet, gliding in with me behind.

"Relax, it's just the guys at the moment," he said, his body shaking from laughter. I clamped my eyelids and tried very hard to resist the temptation.

_Don't peek, don't peek, don't peek._

"What's she doing here?" asked someone who sounded very much like Al.

_Don't peek, don't peek, don't peek._

"Who do you mean by 'the guys', exactly?" I squeaked into Luke's shoulder, which was still shaking. I really would love to know what he's laughing at.

_Don't peek, don't peek, don't peek._

"Marauders," he said cheerfully. I felt his weight leave the broom and he lifted me, placing me on what seemed to be a bench.

_Don't peek, don't peek, don't peek._

Some exhaled impatiently from in front of me. "Open your eyes, Soph, you won't see anything." I opened one eyelid to see Luke, Al, Scorpius and Aiden grinning rather mischievously at me, but thankfully, dressed in their Quidditch robes. I sighed.

"What do you want from me?" I wailed, hugging my knees to my chest. "It's Friday! I wanted to sleep in!"

"We're going swimming tonight!" Scorpius said brightly, nearly jumping in excitement. "In the Black Lake." I rolled my eyes.

"Well, that's great. Let me know how it goes, okay?" I uncrossed my legs and made to leave, but Luke pushed me down onto the bench again. I whined.

"It's five in the bloody morning! Can't it _wait_?" I cried through gritted teeth. The four boys exchanged glances. I'm surprised they didn't whimper.

That's right. Be afraid.

"You're going swimming too, remember?" Scorpius said through narrowed eyes. "You know, the List." I looked blankly at them.

Wasn't that a dream?

"Why are you pinching yourself?" Al asked, slightly taken aback. I scowled.

"Why do you _think _I'm pinching myself?" I half-shouted, making the four boys flinch, but it didn't remove the blank expressions from their faces. I gripped at my hair in frustration. They were going to make me spell it out for them, weren't they?

"I can't wake up from this dream!" I continued, looking at them for confirmation. Nothing. "The dream where you four idiots charm a stupid list of things to do before you graduate? You know, somehow you roped me in on that plan?" As if on cue, they grinned, Aiden sitting beside me.

"Hate to say it, but this isn't a dream," he said sympathetically, draping an arm over my shoulders. Luke shot him a look, but I only stare at them blankly.

Oh, _sod it all. _That wasn't a dream, was it?

"Get your hands off my sister," Luke told him aggressively, sitting down at my other side. Rolling my eyes again, I turned to Aiden.

"I have to go swimming with you guys?" I peeped unhappily, my face falling considerably. Aiden nodded cheerfully.

"It won't be so bad," Luke soothed, slapping Aiden's arms off my back. "I mean, it'll be cold, and there's the Merpeople and that Giant Squid Al's dad was talking about, not to mention –"

"Shut up, Luke," Albus advised as my face drained of all colours, leaving me shaking and sweating from dread. As the rest of the team decided to come into the room, I stood up and ran – far, far away from those four losers.

I'm as good asdead. I don't even know _how _to swim.

It turns out that I got to sleep in, after all. Unfortunately, this made me very late second period, which happened to be – you guessed it – Defence Against the Dark Arts.

Oh, just shoot me now and get it over with, will you?

Huffing and puffing like some fairytale wolf, I reached class in a daze. I skid into my seat approximately ten minutes after the bell had rung, and the entire class was staring at me as I though I were Lord Voldemort back from the dead.

Okay, so N.E.W.T.'s are in a month and I'm failing the class and I slept in. What's the big deal? I am not an evil git who's spent half his life trying to kill the father of the person I've been in love with since, I dunno, _first year._

So keep your hairnet on. That means you, Professor Lupin.

"Sorry, Professor," I gasped, sitting at my usual seat beside Luke and racing to take out my textbook. His gaze seemed to soften as I fell to the floor in my rush to be prepared for class. Lips twitching, he waved a hand at me and turned back to his projector. I breathed a sigh of relief and opened my textbook.

"Sophia, why are you sitting beside me?" Luke asked a whispered, half-amused voice. I frowned, chewing the end of my quill as I tried to listen to Lupin go on about review.

"I always sit beside you, Luke," I whispered back, not taking my eyes off the diagram of the Unforgivable Curses, trying not to let my mind wander to why Luke was being especially stupid today.

Maybe it was because he finally got hit in the head with those Bludgers he's always batting around. Or maybe he fell off his broom and suffered a slight concussion. Or maybe…

Okay, I'm distracted. Sue me.

Why won't Luke shut up?

"The fact that you've mistaken me for Luke is slightly disturbing," said the voice, slightly closer to my left ear. I titled my head to see Albus Potter, his face resting in his arms very close to mine with an expression of disgust.

I didn't _mean _to mistake him for my brother! Did I mention I was late? And sleepy?

He's still smiling though, so my heart is melting. In the middle of class. This, actually, is a lot like our tutoring sessions, except he's really frustrated from my lack of brains.

I looked around, seeing Luke sitting beside Vanessa Brown in the front, Aiden and Scorpius sitting a couple of rows away from him.

I frowned at Albus, my heart beginning to race at the distance between us. "You have the same hair." It was sort of true. Luke's black hair was probably a _little _tamer, though.

Because I _may_ have helped with that.

What? I can still be a girl sometimes!

Al chuckled quietly as Lupin droned on. "How did you end up with blonde hair?" he teased, taking a strand of my messy hair in his grip. My heart beat erratically faster.

Oh words, please don't fail me now!

"I – umm – dunno," I mumbled inarticulately as he played with my hair. "Genetics?"

What. A. Fail.

"Suppose so," he answered, letting go of my hair and facing the front. "I wish I didn't have to sit through this class." I let out a soft laugh.

"I don't blame you. Then you've got to tutor me afterwards, huh?" I kept my eyes on the textbook, barely listening to Lupin. Why did Luke decide to ditch me today? Why?

Albus took my quill from my hand and crossed out a sentence I had been copying down. "Tutoring isn't bad at all. These curses are unforgivable, not unforgettable."

I blushed and took my quill back. "Thanks."

There will never be a time that I won't look like a complete ditz in front of Al Potter.

"Have you ever cast a Patronus?" I glared into his eyes, which were eager and sparkling.

"Of course not. I've never even been able to defeat a Boggart," I admitted with a sigh, catching a few more words coming out of Lupin's mouth. "I suppose we'll have to work on that, too?"

Al's lips twitched and he buried his mouth into his arms. His words came out muffled as he tried to hide his grin. "I just hope it's better than the theory I've tried to drill into your head this past week." I chewed on my quill, thinking of the hours at the library and trying not to smile.

"That is, if Luke doesn't kill you," I told him quietly, glancing at my brother. He was really tense; Lupin's back is turned, so I bet if I could just…

"What are you doing?" Albus asked with a frown on his face. I put my elastic down as Lupin turned his face the class. He eyed me, and I sent the puppy dog look at him again. He only shook his head and started so speak again.

"I'm giving Lupin the puppy dog eyes so he won't take off points for trying to hit Luke's head with my hair elastic." My face burned as Al began to laugh, and loudly at that.

"Sorry, Teddy," he said weakly as Lupin glowered at him. I swear; if Al wasn't family, he'd be done for. I stifled a giggle as Lupin's back turned, and I aimed.

_Smack._ Bull's eye!

Luke jumped so high, he practically leaped right off his seat. Vanessa's expression was priceless; a look of absolute terror came across her face as he nearly dragged her down with him in an attempt to stay upright. Albus had dug his face in his arms to stop himself from laughing so hard.

"Merlin," Albus said after the chaos calmed down and the class had begun to write again, "I have to sit next to you more often." My heart soared, and I tried to stop the huge grin that was threatening to spread across my face. "You ready to go swimming tonight?"

My grin faltered and my quill burst through the other end of the parchment. Al froze.

"What's wrong? You look like a ghost."

Well, that's absolutely wonderful.

He straightened up and snatched my quill away from me. "Come on, Luke will kill me if I upset you." I laughed harshly as the bell rang. Taking my quill from his hand, I stowed my books back into my bag and stood up. Albus hadn't moved; his gaze was full of concern, and I tried not to swoon.

"Ican'tswim," I mumbled very quickly as I swung my bag over my shoulder. I ran from the room as fast as I could to avoid further embarrassment.

Because really, if I stay there longer, that's exactly what I'm going to end up doing.

I hate my life.


	3. NEVER Give into Albus Potter

**Chapter Three: NEVER Give into Albus Potter's Eyes**

_Still May 6_

"So you can't swim," Al said, sidling into the chair beside after classes commenced. I shut my textbook and looked around the library in resignation.

"Yeah," I mumbled guiltily, "another one of my many fears." He let out a laugh.

Oh, his laugh sounds like bells. Wow…

Okay, gaining control.

"You didn't almost drown when you were little, did you?" he teased, taking out a textbook from his bag and flipping through it. I shrugged.

"Luke terrorized me by telling an interesting tale about the Giant Squid."

Don't look at me like that. It was one of the most traumatic experiences of my life!

Besides almost dying when I tried to fly.

"So you can't swim," he repeated slowly. A light bulb seemed to go off in his head and he turned to me eagerly. I quickly shifted my gaze down to a piece of parchment. "Can I teach you how to swim?" I nearly fell out of my chair.

Umm. _What_?

"No!" I squeaked as he stood up, quickly shoving his book back in his bag. "Al, you can't –"

"Come on! That way, you won't be embarrassed in front of –"

"You?"

The words had tumbled out of my mouth before I could stop them. I felt myself turning red and focused my gaze onto a picture of a Dementor in the textbook. Albus looked at me curiously before grabbing my textbook from underneath my eyes.

"Come on, you don't even have to go in the water. I'm not going to tutor you today anyway, it's Friday." I forced myself to look up into his emerald eyes, and gave in.

They looked so innocent and beautiful and…GAH! I had to!

If I had eyes like _that_, my puppy dog eyes would work. Every single time.

I faltered under his gaze before speaking. "Alright." He grabbed my arm and led me outside. If he hadn't been practically pulling me through the hallways, I probably would've fainted right there and then.

Because Albus Potter is _touching _me! Voluntarily! Not playing with the ends of my hair, but actually pulling me outside!

… I am _so _pathetic.

We burst into the warm air and lead me out of the courtyard, underneath a tree. I stared at him pointedly, my face still burning. He let go of me (unfortunately) and gestured to the ground. "Okay, to start, lie down."

I set my schoolbag down and lay back, my hair spreading across the grass. I watched the sunlight burst through the leaves above me as Albus lay down beside me. I saw him smiling at me in the corner of my eye, and I tried to focus the sky peeking out from over the tree as he spoke.

"You know how you're just relaxed now because you know the ground's going to hold you?" he asked, still looking at me. I swallowed.

Maybe _he's _relaxed. I'm as tense as I always am around him. I tried to take a deep breath.

"Sure," I said nervously, trying to smile, but failing. He didn't seem to notice.

"That's pretty much what you have to in the water. Just trust that the water's going to hold you up." I turned my head to look at him. He was still smiling.

Okay, so if the earth opened up and swallowed me, right now, I'd still be _so _happy.

Never mind. I want to stay here. Forever.

"The water is _not _going to hold me," I said, my voice trembling slightly. Al let out a laugh and shifted his gaze from my face to the sky.

"Yes it will. Try closing your eyes." I closed my eyes, and the sunlight beat heavily on them. I saw orange and red reflected through my eyelids, and I smiled.

"Are you relaxed?" his voice seemed to come from far away. I nodded.

Yes. Somehow, in the presence of the love of my life, I had managed to relax.

Relaxed with all these butterflies bouncing around in my stomach, but I think getting rid of those would be a lost cause.

"Do you feel like the ground is sort of moving underneath you? Kind of like you're floating?"

Well, he's talking to me, so I must be floating. Right?

Yes. Stop laughing at me.

The strange thing about this was that I _did _sort of feel motion around me. Even though I knew the earth wasn't actually moving, I could feel something. Something other than butterflies.

Al's laughter rang out softly from beside me. "That's all you have to do tonight, Soph. Just float."

Opening my eyes, I propped myself up on my elbow and faced him sideways. Al mirrored my actions. "Thanks," I told him gratefully, and he smiled.

I am _never_ going to get used to that smile. _Never._

"I should get more credit for this tutoring thing," he joked. My heart beat quickened as he laughed, but I had no idea why. He was just close to me.

"Interested in making some magic together? My wand is at the ready!"

I mentally groaned as I heard Aiden's voice approaching us. Rolling over, I saw him walking towards the tree, back turned and facing a group of giggly, third-year Hufflepuff's. Al snorted.

"Younger ones again?" he called, but Aiden shushed him.

"I bet they have no idea what he's talking about," I moaned. Albus sat up and crossed his legs, still twirling my hair around on his finger as he sniggered.

"You must be magical, because I've fallen under your spell." Aiden continued, paying no attention to us. Al laughed outwardly as the Hufflepuff girls squealed and ran towards the greenhouses, looking thoroughly pleased with them selves. Turning around, Aiden spotted me and brightened.

"Soph! If you were a Dementor, I'd become a criminal just to get your kiss." With that, Al made a face and pushed him over with his foot. Aiden fell in a heap beside me.

"Imagine if Luke were here," Al muttered, still playing with my hair. I laughed as Aiden pushed himself up, smirking as he watched.

"Oi, Luke!" he called as Luke himself entered the courtyard. He jogged over to us, an expression of bewilderment upon his face.

"Al, why are you playing with my sister's hair?" Al immediately let go. I cursed my twin's existence as I sat up to cross my legs.

Really, Luke? The slightest bit of affection towards me in _years _of knowing Al and Luke just _had _to ruin it (despite the fact that I hadn't actually noticed Al playing with my hair again, but that's not the point).

I feel positively murderous. I want to kill Luke. Right now.

Aiden must have somehow sensed this, because he slung an arm around my waist and said, "Without you, I feel like I'm in Azkaban and Dementors are sucking away my soul."

Screw this. I'm killing Aiden tonight, and I really hope the Giant Squid helps me.

"Guys. We've been over this. I'm not putting on the war-paint; it'll just come off in the water."

Stop looking at me like that, Luke. Your puppy dog eyes are in _no _comparison to mine.

For someone who is supposedly older than me, he whines a whole lot.

"But Soph," he begged, "this is _tradition._ We do this every time we sneak out."

"You don't sneak out often, do you Luke?" Believe it or not, the Next Generation Mauraders were a studious bunch. Don't tell anyone though, it's a well-kept secret. I glared at him as he approached me slowly, paint in hand. I pushed his hand back.

"_No._" I crossed my arms around my chest and shot him the most evil death glare I could possibly muster. If that doesn't say _back off, _I don't know what will.

Luke held the tube of paint in front of me threateningly, his eyes flashing with mischief. "Soph." His smirk was back and was growing more and more impish as he stepped towards me. "Stay still."

Don't you just _love _brothers?

"You know what I don't understand?" Scorpius asked from across the room, his own war-paint gleaming against his pale cheeks. Funny, I didn't know he was paying any attention to us. "Why you'll wear that gunk on your face every day, but you won't wear a little face paint right now."

I scowled as Aiden opened his trap to agree. "It's true. Girls spend hours and hours on their hair and makeup, just to have it ruined by the time they force a bit of food in their mouths." I let out a sigh of exasperation.

These boys are so _stupid._

"I don't understand that either." Al's beautiful voice rang from his own bed as he rolled over to survey me. "Why do they wear makeup in the first place? Doesn't it get annoying?" I backed against the window as Luke held the little tube dangerously close to my face.

"I'm not Vanessa Brown; I don't wear makeup every day. Does that answer your question? Can everyone just shut their mouth?" I smirked as Luke seemed momentarily distracted by the mention of her name.

"We should've asked _her_ to come with us!" he said thoughtfully, his face practically lighting up at the thought. I rolled my eyes and put a hand behind my back, slowly flipping the latch open.

"That would've been a good idea," Aiden said, just as attentively. "I would've liked to see her in a bathing suit. Come to think of it, we should've invited Lily!" Albus choked loudly and threw a pillow at him, successfully smudging Aiden's face paint.

"Are. You. _Insane_?" he whispered furiously through gritted teeth. "She's my baby sister!" Aiden seemed unaffected by this as he shrugged and threw the pillow back.

"What about Rose?" Scorpius piped up with a devilish leer. Al whipped his neck around to stare him down, but Scorpius seemed unaffected as well. He leaned back onto his pillows and continued. "I would've loved to see your cousin – hey!"

I sniggered as Al threw his other pillow at Scorpius. Luke seemed to wake from his trance as I began to slide the window open slowly. "What are you doing?" he asked uneasily as I sat on the ledge. "Come back inside."

I shrugged him off and gripped the underside of the window sill. The other three seemed to freeze upon seeing my actions, mouths wide-open. Luke approached me carefully, the tube of paint still in his outstretched hands.

"I told you, I don't want the face paint," I said calmly, gripping the edge tightly and leaning back a little. Luke's face paled; his hands were still halfway to my face. I resisted laughing out loud.

Oh, this is good.

"Sophia? What are you doing?" Al asked nervously from behind Luke. He, Aiden and Scorpius moved closer to me, and I leaned back further. Their eyes widened.

"Oi, Soph, you can't just jump out the window because of face paint," Scorpius tried to reason with me. I kept the corners of my lips down and tried to not to burst into laughter.

Really, how stupid _are_ they? They actually think I'm going to jump out the window!

I shook my head and leaned back father, carefully gripping the window sill. Luke shifted uneasily and mouthed, "Help me!" to the others. As they stepped forward, I pushed my head back. For some inexplicable reason, this actually made them step back.

Gits.

I tried not to let my face give me away as I put my head back, almost slipping over the edge. The weird thing about me is that I_ like _heights, but I hate flying. I admired the moonlight that snuck into my vision and smiled. I loved being outside. The castle got stuffy after a while.

"Sophia, this isn't funny," Luke began, taking a tentative step towards me. "What's gotten into you?" I sighed dramatically, taking a hand off the sill and put it through my hair. He flinched and took a step back. I pretended to seriously think about this.

"Putting that disgusting stuff on my face isn't so funny either," I told him, putting a hand over my face strategically to hide my smile. His eyes had gotten as big as dinner plates. I placed my hand underneath the sill and slipped half my body out the window.

Instantly, I felt hands trying to pull my arms forward again. I shot Luke a glare before slipping back out, my legs onto really keeping me onto the ledge.

"No paint?" I asked him, curling my legs onto the ledge. Luke nodded furiously and forced me back, hugging me tightly when my feet hit the floor of the dormitory. I finally let the grin break into my face and laughed loudly into his shoulder. I saw the other three exchange glances of bewilderment.

"You're the craziest chick I've ever met," Aiden muttered, and I laughed harder.

Hey, don't look at me like that! That stuff makes my face itchy!

"Sophia, you'll have to come in _sometime_." I clutched my t-shirt tighter around myself and shook my head furiously. Luke cocked his head exasperatedly. "Soph."

"I _refuse_," I said dramatically, shivering slightly as I sat at the edge of the lake determinedly. I started at the murky waters fearfully and shook my head. "You'll never get me in there! You can't make me!" He sighed and glanced to the other three, frolicking in the water.

No, seriously. _Frolicking._ Where did all the violence go?

Oh, wait. Scorp never lets me down.

"Don't be such a baby," he scowled, actually looking a little angry. "You've been pulling stunts all day. Just get in the sodding lake!" He splashed water into my face and I spluttered, spitting out the icy water.

Merlin, that was _cold!_

"Luke, it is _freezing!_" I told him, my teeth chattering slightly. I rubbed my arms and brought my knees to my chest in an effort to get warm. He rolled his eyes and turned around!

"Oi, Al! Get my sister to come in the water, will you?" My face burned and I instantly began to plot Luke's slow and painful death as Al swam up to me.

_Must not stare at abs, must not stare at abs, MUST NOT STARE…_

"Are you afraid?" he asked quietly so he wouldn't be overheard. He rested his elbows on the edge, still looking up at me. My heartbeat raced faster, and I scolded myself when my breath caught as he reached for my hand.

I'm so pitiful. This is not the first time I'd seen him without a shirt. Get. A. _Grip._

I nodded slowly, pulling out of his reach and fiddling with the ends of my shorts, making the mistake of glancing in his emerald eyes, shining in the dark. He looked almost… sad.

"Why did Luke ask you?" I questioned, my gaze wandering over to the three other boys, who were having a diving contest. "Did you tell him you helped me?"

Al hesitated for the second time that night. I felt a deep sense of disappointment tugging at my insides when he admitted, "Yeah. He wanted to know why I wasn't tutoring today." I let a sigh and watched Scorpius cannonball into the lake.

Well, this _sucks._ He was just helping his best friend's sister. That's it.

I swallowed uneasily and crossed my legs. "What did you tell him?"

He shrugged and rested his head in one of his hands. "I told him the truth. I was helping you out." I look out onto the opposite side of the lake, where the water was resting peacefully, the moonlight reflecting off the dark shadows. I took a deep breath.

"I don't want to do this," I said feebly, not looking at him. "Not the swimming, not the List, not the tutoring." I rested my hands on my knees and looked over his head. "I just wanted to enjoy my last month at Hogwarts." To my surprise, his lips twitched into a smile.

"I'll confess: that was our reason for creating the List in the first place," he told me, eyes sparkling. "Being the son of Harry Potter isn't so easy when you know that your life isn't half as exciting as his was."

I couldn't help it. He looked so sincere.

I chuckled. "Luke's great at Quidditch, like my dad. It's hard living in his shadow." Al nodded in agreement as two hands pushed my back, and I stumbled forward into the waters as Al dived out of the way. The last thing I heard before hitting the waters was Aiden whooping and cheering behind me, diving in and swimming back to Luke and Scorpius.

Aiden, I am going to _kill _you.

I felt the icy water hit my belly, freezing my insides and suffocating my breath. All thoughts of floating flew out me as my mind went numb. All I knew is that I was clenching my eyes shut, the water was bloody freezing, I was curling into a ball and I was sinking deeper and deeper, my t-shirt and shorts weighing me down.

It was so _cold._ I couldn't breathe, and I felt my nose and mouth fill with the awful, unbearably cold water. The lake was enwrapping me, even as I forced my eyes open; it was night, it was dark, and the world was asleep. I was disturbing its slumber.

And suddenly I was pulled up, gasping and choking for precious oxygen that I suddenly breathed. Al held my shoulders to keep me above the water as I shivered and coughed, afraid to look in his eyes.

"Don't _do _that," he whispered urgently, gripping me tightly and glancing to the others; they hadn't noticed my dismal entrance into the water. I shivered as tears, boiling hot, slipped down my face. I slicked back my hair to look at him.

"I – can't – float," I gasped breathlessly, discovering concern and disappointment in his eyes. "I'm sorry, you tried to help me and I just couldn't –" I stopped. It seemed that he was fighting with himself, and I saw the distress fade as he settled for passive. Expressionless.

"It's okay," he said firmly, casting his eyes away from me. We heard Luke, who had evidently just found out what happened, shouting at Aiden. As he swam closer to us, Al let go of me and climbed out of the water, not looking in my direction. "I'll see you for tutoring tomorrow."

"Soph, are you okay?" Luke asked me, practically tackling me with a hug as I clung to the edge of the lake. I stared after Albus miserably, my teeth still chattering and my clothes still sticking to me.

I'm just dandy_, _Luke. Just bloody _incredible_.


	4. Fainting Butteflies

**Chapter Four: Fainting Butterflies**

_May 7_

I pushed the door of the library and walked in, clutching my books in my hands nervously and casting my eyes around the room, muttering to myself. I can do this. I can be indifferent and not act like a swooning fan girl. I can act normal.

Then again, abnormality is simply easier… no! I can do this!

I sighed angrily, fiddling with the strap of my bag. I _know_ he has no reason to my angry with me, but he is. I have a tendency to forgive his every move, and I can't do that. Not this time.

I sat down at an empty table and took out a textbook, flipping the pages without thinking. It's not as though I did anything, right? _He's_ the one who offered to teach me. I didn't do anything_!_

Except, maybe, stare at him. Excessively.

I glanced up briefly as he sat down, restraining my anger as I flipped another page, trying to concentrate on the material in front of me. _Merpeople. Underwater. _ I turned twenty pages forward with sick feeling in my stomach.

"Hey," Al greeted wearily, sounding far away. I nodded to him and continued to scan my eyes across the page, catching a few words like, 'curses' and 'unforgivable'. I slammed the book shut.

You've got to be bloody _kidding_ me.

Merlin, everything reminds me of _him_!

"Are you feeling any better?" he asked, sitting down across from me and opening his own bag. I shrugged and wished I hadn't closed my book. I would have something to look at besides the table top. He leaned forward and tried to look into my eyes. "Hello?"

I looked at his eyebrows determinedly. "Hi." He looked at me curiously before sitting back in his chair and continued to ruffle through his bag.

"We're going to work on Boggarts today," he said distractedly, taking out the third-year textbook and turning to the bookmarked page. "Read this, and then you can fight one." He pushed the book under my nose and I tried to focus my eyes upon the page.

Not working.

"Soph?" I didn't answer him, but crossed my arms to look to his eyebrows again, but found myself looking into emerald marbles. "Are you okay?" I tore my eyes away from his, trying to think about Boggarts.

'_Boggarts are shape-shifters –'_

"Soph." I didn't bother to lift my head.

"Yes?" I asked monotonously to the book, as if I'd expected it to answer. I saw him shift uneasily from the corner of my eye as he asked again.

"Are you okay?" I shrugged and took the book in my hands. Hoisting my knees up to the chair, I rested the book on my thighs and read, fully aware that he was watching me read. After a few minutes, he spoke up again.

"If you're not feeling alright, we can start the practical tomorrow." I snapped my eyes up and resisted the urge to throw the book at him.

Why does he have to be so bloody _nice_?

"I'm fine, _Potter,_" I said scathingly, gripping the book tightly as he flinched at the mention of his last name. I felt sicker by the second, but I didn't care; I wanted to be angry with him. Wasn't he angry with me?

Well, at the moment, he looked absolutely bewildered. And adorable. "Since when you call me 'Potter'?"

"Since when do you give me the cold shoulder?" I spat back at him, which was meant with a couple of 'shhhs' around us. I forced my eyes back on the page and read more about sodding Boggarts.

"What did I do?" he whispered urgently, looking innocent with those wide, green eyes. I tried to shake off the newly erupted butterflies in my stomach. "I never gave you the cold shoulder." I sighed heavily and pushed the chair back, snapping the book shut and throwing it to him. Al caught it, looking almost frightened.

Well, he should be. He should know better than to mess with me; I'm Luke Wood's _sister_ for Merlin's sake.

Shoving my chair backwards, I stumbled out of my seat and swung my bag over my shoulder. "Come on, I think I've got the theory," I mumbled to him before striding out of the library. Al ran up to me a couple of second later, looking completely baffled.

"I never gave you the cold shoulder!" he said loudly, having come out of the library. "I was just giving you space, like you wanted!" I stopped and he bumped into me, successfully pushing me to the ground.

The floor, I've noticed, is quite uncomfortable.

"What space?" I asked, standing up and straightening my skirt. "I didn't ask for space." He scoffed and looked to the ceiling.

"Don't you share everything with Luke?" he asked exasperatedly, throwing his hands into the air. I gave him a puzzled look.

"What does Luke have to do with anything?" I asked, confused. Al narrowed his eyes.

"He gave me a lecture on how I should leave you alone and give you some space. He said you were dealing with some… issues," he added, shoving his hands into his pockets and looking away. I ran a hand through my hair.

"What kind of issues?" I asked, shifting from one foot to another. He shrugged awkwardly, avoiding my eyes.

"He didn't say." I made a mental note to kick my brother later. He obviously _did_ say, and evidently, he made something up.

He is _so _dead.

I rolled my eyes. "Don't listen to anything Luke says about me." With that, I stomped off to the Defence Against the Dark Arts classroom, not caring if Al bothered to follow or not. I'm not too ashamed to admit that I was hoping he wouldn't. Whatever Luke said was probably highly embarrassing.

Can I have a new brother, please?

Unfortunately, Al _did_ follow me, muttering something about 'not letting Teddy down.'

Git.

I rolled up my sleeves of my uniform and faced the old cupboard, slightly rusty along the edges. "Okay, I'm ready," I peeped nervously, holding up my wand. Al nodded and put his hand on the handle the cupboard.

"Do you remember the incantation?"

"Yes."

"Have you thought of something funny?"

"Yes."

"Do you have any idea what your worst fear could be?" I let out a breath I didn't know I was holding and gave Albus an annoyed look.

"No. Are you going to open that thing or not?" I demanded impatiently, tapping my foot. He let out a laugh.

"Of course. I just wanted to make sure you're ready," he said matter-of-factly. The blood rushed to my face and I swallowed. _Breathe, Soph, breathe. _He opened the cupboard and stepped aside, wand held up as a precaution.

Nothing happened.

I peered curiously into the cupboard, the feeling of dread slowly creeping up on me, but simply nothing came out.

What was going on? I had _tons _of fears – the Boggart just had to pick one, didn't it?

"Oh, I'm sorry, Soph!" Al said suddenly, making me jump. He looked sheepish as he stepped behind the cupboard, stowing his wand away. "The Boggart is just confused. It should work for you now," he added, sounding disappointed with him self. I shrugged and tried to concentrate on the cupboard, where… Al stepped out?

"Err… how did you do that?" I asked him. He only smiled at me.

What in the name of Merlin is wrong with him?

A voice spoke up from behind the cupboard. "How did I do what?" I stared at Al in front of me, whose lips hadn't moved at all out of his heart warming smile, but he was walking closer and closer to me. I swallowed uneasily. Something was very wrong.

"How did you step through the back of the cupboard?" I asked uncomfortably, my voice coming out as a whisper. I walked backwards, my back meeting a desk. Suddenly, another Al walked out from behind the cupboard, looking thoroughly confused.

_Another _Al?

My eyes snapped to the one in front of me, who was still walking forward. I shifted my gaze back to the real Albus, who was gaping at his "twin", wand outstretched. And then it hit me.

Albus is my worst fear.

How is that possible? Al has to be the nicest, sweetest person I've ever met. I would've understood if the Boggart was a figure of his dead body – I shudder went through me at the thought – but this one was very much alive. And very close to me. I could see the beautiful replica of his eyes, but they were empty.

The real Albus looked in a state of shock and confusion – and I don't blame him. It's not every day that you find out that your best friend's twin sister's worst fear is, in fact, you. And he hadn't done anything. I could only imagine what he was thinking.

Before I could ponder that, however, the real Albus had tackled me out of the way as the fake Al had reached out to… well, I never found out, to be honest.

And then I promptly fainted upon landing on the floor and hitting my head. Hard.

I fainted upon impact! I mean, how pathetic is that? And why, exactly, had Al tackled me out of the way? It was just a Boggart. A Boggart I supposed to have blasted into a thousand pieces, but couldn't, because it was Albus. The guy I have been in love with since I was eleven, and apparently, I am scared to death of.

…I need therapy.

"_Enervate._" I opened my eyes groggily to see him pointing his wand at me, shock still evident on his face. I tried to sit up but he grabbed my shoulders and pushed me back down firmly. My mind felt hazy as I shifted my gaze to the ceiling and breathed deeply, black spots invading my vision.

"What happened?" I asked a little breathlessly as his hands left my shoulders. He looked away uneasily and sat down beside me, twiddling with his thumbs restlessly. He looked as though he wanted to be very far away from the classroom.

I bet he wished he never followed me.

"You fainted," he offered unhelpfully, still avoiding my eyes. I tried not to stare in his awkward state; I didn't want to seem even weirder than I already looked. My heart thudded in my ears, and I willed myself to slow down.

He was just_ sitting_ beside me, for Merlin's sake! Why am I feeling this way?

"I didn't know," I piped up quietly, "if that makes you feel any better." Al winced, as though he were experiencing pain. He still didn't look at me when he spoke his next words.

"I don't know what I did to make you scared of me," he says quietly. He doesn't look upset, or angry – just confused. I took this as a good sign.

"I don't know either," I told him truthfully, propping myself up on my elbows. "I have absolutely no idea." He let out a long breath, seemingly mulling things over. He opened his mouth to speak, but I cut across him. "I understand if you don't want to tutor me anymore."

Al's eyes snapped to me as I sat up, a sinking feeling heavy onto my chest. I sighed discontentedly and felt the room spinning around me as I clutched my head. "Maybe I should go to the Hospital W–"

"I'll keep tutoring you," he stated firmly, pushing me back down again. My back hit the hard floor as he looked at me determinedly. "It's fine. I don't have a problem with it," he added to my questioning gaze and (quite) heavy breathing.

Hey, he's pinning me to the floor! What did you expect?

He's straddling me or anything, though – he's just making sure I stay lying down. It's probably for my own benefit, because I think I was starting to get woozy again from sitting up. Of course Al would know that.

Ugh, why is he so perfect in every way?

"You will?" I barely squeaked out, trying to keep my excitement to the minimum. He nodded.

"Yeah. I agreed to tutor you, and I'm not going back on it. Actually," the corners of his mouth lifted up slightly for the first time that day, "it might be an advantage that you're afraid of me." I narrowed my eyes.

"Why is that, exactly?" I asked suspiciously. He pretended to think.

"I know you'll always do any homework I ask of you," he teased, the smirk still evident on his face. I laughed.

"Dream on," I said aimlessly, clutching my pounding head. He let out a small laugh, and I grew very aware of the fact that he hadn't let go of me as he gripped tighter. My breath caught as his laughter died and he looked at me intently, as if he were trying to figure me out. Our eyes locked, and I felt my heart going into overload – as if I were going to faint. Again.

Am I just dizzy or is he getting closer?

"Can I go to the Hospital Wing, now?" I asked breathlessly, a little panicked. He didn't move, but stared off into space.

Yep, I'm definitely lightheaded.

"Al?" He seemed to wake from his trance, and I bit my lip uneasily.

"What? Oh, sorry," he apologized as he lifted his hands. Instantly, I felt colder as I tried to stand, wobbling slightly as I straightened up. He handed over my bag as I rolled down my sleeves and pocketed my wand.

"Hey, Al?" I asked tentatively, swinging my bag over my shoulder.

"Yeah?" he answered absent-mindedly, pushing the classroom door open with his hands and exiting.

"Why did you agree to tutor me?" I felt this was crossing the line a little, but I had to know. He shrugged a little and grabbed my arm, steering me slightly away from a wall.

Okay, so I was still a little woozy. He wasn't really helping with the matter.

"Teddy asked me, and I told him I would. I wasn't really motivated to study, so I thought this would help, you know?" I nodded in understanding.

"I suppose it's the same for me and Charms," I thought out loud, twisting my blonde hair a little in my right hand, "but I'm not _that_ amazing. It's just my best subject." I tripped a little, and Al tightened his grip on my arm.

"You said you wanted to be a Healer, right?" he asked as we turned the corner and started up the Grand Staircase. "Are you good at Potions?" I shrugged.

"I'm passing," I confirmed, grinning slightly. "What do you want to do?" I enquired, reaching the top of the staircase and heading towards the infirmary. He looked lost in his thoughts as I pushed the door open and staggered into a bed.

"I don't want to do what's expected of me," he said thoughtfully, letting go of my arm. "I don't want to be an Auror like my dad, but I don't want to be a professional Quidditch player like James." I sat up a little, crossing my legs and trying not to fall off the bed.

Let's just say that falling off the bed is a frequent practise for me.

"Okay," I said slowly, resting my elbows on my knees and positioning my head in my hands so I could look up at him. "What were you thinking of, then?" He looked at me suddenly, with a wide smile on his face. My heart quickened again.

"I haven't a clue!" he said cheerfully, sitting on the edge of the bed. I stared at him pointedly.

This guy is _insane._ Why am I in love with him, again?

"Why did you move me out of the way?" I asked, suddenly remembering. He stopped laughing and fixed his gaze on me, looking confused.

"What do you mean?"

"You know, when the Boggart was going to touch me?" I felt the heat rush into my face and looked to the other beds, which were empty.

_Where_ is the nurse? I need her to stop me from speaking delusional nonsense!

"I – err –" Al ran a hand through his messy hair and rubbed the back of his neck. Madame Pomfrey chose that moment to stride up to us, practically attacking me. "What happened?" Albus straightened up and slid off the bed.

"She fainted," he said to Madame Pomfrey, still looking at me. She huffed and pushed my back onto my blankets, looking sternly at me.

Ack! Too close!

"Have you been eating three square meals?" she asked, staring down at me intently. I let out a nervous squeak, looking at Al for help, who shrugged. His hand was still in his hair.

"Yes?" I choked out, red splotches blooming onto my cheeks.

"Drinking enough water?"

"Yeah, I think –"

"Lack of oxygen?"

"No?"

"Have you been wearing a tie or a scarf too tightly?"

"Not really –"

"She hit her head," Al cut in impatiently. Madame Pomfrey turned to him sharply, as if noticing him for the first time.

"Mr. Potter, were you present at the time of the incident?" she asked quickly, turning back to me and checking my head for injuries.

"Yeah, I –"

"How did she hit her head?"

"She tripped," he lied guiltily, stuffing his hands in his pockets. Madame Pomfrey lifted my head, and I winced in pain.

"Just stay the night, you can leave in the morning," she said, sighing a little and muttering under her breath as she put my head down gently on the pillow. She tossed me a gown and turned to Al before leaving. "You can see your girlfriend tomorrow. I want you to leave in five minutes."

I opened my mouth, blood rushing back to my face. "Oh, no, he's not my –" I started to say, but she had already left, leaving us in an awkward silence. The tips of my ears burned in humiliation and I cast my eyes down, eying the ugly gown.

"I'm really sorry," Al said uncomfortably as I stuffed the gown under my bed. "I didn't mean for you to hit your head and faint." I waved a hand and kicked off my shoes, avoiding his eyes.

"Don't worry about it," I mumbled nonchalantly, sitting up again and feeling my head pound.

"Are you still mad at me?" he asked, grinning slightly. I shrugged teasingly and looked away from him.

"Can you get Luke or Rose to visit me at some point?" He nodded and stepped closer to the bed, looking as if he wanted to say something. I waited.

"Yeah?" I asked when he didn't say anything. He shook his head and adjusted the strap on his bag before leaving; the guilty smile was still flitted across his face.

"Feel better, Soph," he said sincerely, touching the curtains around me. "I'll see you at tutoring, alright?" I nodded and pulled at the covers of the bed, pulling them onto my crossed legs.

"Do I have to tackle the Boggart again?" I asked, weakly smiling at him. I wallowed in the sound of his voice, closing my eyes as he let out a chuckle.

"Nah," he teased, his eyes sparkling. He abruptly walked to me and gave me a hasty hug, squeezing my torso slightly. I was sure he could feel the swarm of butterflies that exploded in my stomach. Before I knew it, he had gotten up and left, leaving me in a state of pure shock.

Right, I remember. _That's_ why I'm in love with him.

Perfect little git.


	5. Stuck in the Hospital Wing

**Chapter Five: Stuck with Roses**

_Still May 7_

"So." A feminine voice I couldn't distinguish emerged from behind the shadows (well, more like greyish curtains) and crept up on me as I lay in the Hospital Wing, trying to sleep. "The girl decides to disappear for two days, and then I hear from a certain cousin of mine that you've ended up in the Hospital Wing." Rose ripped open the curtain with a steady glare. I lifted my healing head and glowered right back.

"Fancy that."

"More like you fancy him." I rolled my eyes. _Well, duh._

"What else is new?" I asked half-heartedly, sitting up and stretching. Rose broke out into a smile and sat on the edge of my bed.

"Where've you been for the last couple of days?" she asked, throwing me my much-needed and favourite pajamas, the blue ones with rubber ducks all over them.

Hey, don't look at me like that! Ducks are awesome! Especially in rubber form!

Rose's grandfather saw these pajamas once and proceeded to excitedly ask me exactly what the function of a rubber duck is. Unfortunately, Albus was around at the time, and this was around fourth year, when I _still _couldn't speak to him (okay, I couldn't speak to him before tutoring either. But I'm _improving, _okay?). I got so tongue-tied that I told Mr. Weasley that people put rubber ducks in soup instead of baths.

I don't eat soup at the Burrow anymore.

I hugged my pajamas happily and answered, "I've just been busy with tutoring and stuff." I tried to keep the grin from splitting into my face, but there's no hiding these things from my best friend – especially if it's Rose.

"Yeah, sure, but that's not what Al said," she replied slyly, a knowing grin on her face. I gaped at her.

"What did he say?" I asked excitedly. She cocked her head, and then shook it.

"Nah, I'm not telling you," she teased mercilessly. I scowled.

"Come on Rose, tell me what he said."

"Nope." I hate her smirk. It's so… devious!

"Rose."

"Yes?"

"Tell me."

"No."

"Please, Rose?"

"Nope!"

"Rose –" I grabbed her shoulders using two hands and shook her. "_Please_ tell me!"

"Merlin, Soph, don't _kill _me!" I let her go, muttering an embarrassed apology as she smoothed down the front of her shirt. "He just told me that you passed out during tutoring when you hit your head. Speaking of," she added, her smirk appearing again, "how _did _you hit your head?"

My head hit the pillows and I sighed heavily. "That's the thing, Rose. I'm really confused about your cousin." She hoisted her legs onto the bed and surveyed me, listening closely. Ah, I missed this girl-to-girl talk. And it's only been two days.

More like one and a half. But still.

"Why? And what does this have to do with Al, exactly?"

"It's just… he's so _bipolar_," I began, trying to find the right words. "I mean, he's really nice one second, and then the next, he's treating me as if he just discovered my existence. Then today," I added, looking to Rose in bewilderment, "I found out my Boggart was _him._"

"Al?" she gasped, eyes widening in amazement. "But he's so… sweet."

"Exactly!" I cried out, thankful she understood. "He is. Then the Boggart was closing in on me, and Al pushed me out of the way, and I passed out when I hit my head on something." I gingerly reached to touch me head as Rose crossed her legs, leaning forward and grasping my hand.

"I know this may come to a shock to you," she said gently, squeezing my hand, "but you're supposed to _get rid _of the Boggart. Not just stand there." I wrenched my hand from her grasp and scowled.

"I _know _that, Rose," I said loudly over her laughter. "But you have to admit that his behaviour is really strange." She nodded in understanding, still chortling a little. She sat there, observing me. "What?" I asked defensively.

She titled her head. "You don't love him."

I choked on my spit a little. "Excuse me? Have you listenedto me at _all_ –"

"You _can't_ love him," she corrected, ignoring me. She seemed to be staring off into space, or somewhere far from here, thinking about Al. Or me.

I mean, I'm right here. Viable source of knowledge, at your service.

I decided to humour her. "Alright, why can't I love him?"

"No, no," she said, shaking her head. "I mean you can't possibly love him yet."

"And why not?"

"Al…" Rose leaned back on her hands, thinking a little. "He's really sweet." I rolled my eyes.

"I've noticed." She ignored me, biting her lip a little.

"I know you have a slight infatuation with him –"_ Slight? _"– but you still really don't know him all that well."

"But –"

"Listen," she cut over my spluttering, "you haven't really gotten to know him." Sure, you know him through hanging out with Luke for the seven years, and now he's been tutoring you for a week, but _you still don't know him._"

I pouted. "I reckon I know him a little. He's been tutoring me for a week, and I've been hanging out with him and Luke for ages." Rose let out another exasperated breath.

Is that some sort of hint?

"Not enough to _love_ him! You're not comfortable around him, you don't feel safe. He's your bloody _Boggart! _That's not love, Soph!"

And how would _Rose Weasley_know what love is?

Her love life is more messed up than mine. I really don't know how it happened, but she and Scorpius went from being friends (not very close, mind you) to barely acknowledging each other's existence.

I know for a _fact _that they're interested in each other. I know that one day, they were speaking, and the next, Rose was treating him as if he had the plague. I couldn't even _mention _his name for the longest time without her either bursting into tears or throwing something across the room.

I leaned back into my pillows, staring at the ceiling again. "I guess I could get to know him better."

She looked straight into my eyes. "Maybe you should focus on that. Get a little less tongue-tied."

I can always count on Rose for honesty.

"And he doesn't know you, either," she muttered, lost into space again.

"I can talk to him without stammering," I offered feebly, smiling. She broke out into a grin.

"Good."

"He doesn't completely hate me, either."

She rolled her eyes. "Al couldn't hate anyone."

"And I don't drool over him anymore. Unless he's shirtless."

"Exactly – what?" She collapsed into a fit of giggles, and I stuck my tongue out at her.

"I CAN'T BELIEVE YOU DID THIS TO MY HAIR!"

Rose and I jumped in surprise. Vanessa Brown had burst into the Hospital Wing, Luke following closely behind her (umm, what is he doing here?). He stammered out various apologies as Vanessa flopped down onto a bed dramatically, clutching the white sheets and whimpering.

I craned my neck to see her hair, which was frayed and slightly blackened, normally brown. Luke seemed beside himself; he ran his hands through his own hair and gripped it tightly, calling Madame Pomfrey.

"It'll never be the same," Vanessa groaned, tears leaking from her eyes. "I can't believe you did this to me."

"It was an accident!" he blurted, hands still lost in his own hair. "I didn't even _touch _the candle! I was the one who put it out!" I noticed the top half of her was drenched.

"Woody –"

"My last name is _Wood, _not Woody –"

"– just leave," she cut in haughtily, pointing towards the door and closing her eyes. Luke slammed her curtains shut and strode over to us, hands shoved in pockets and his face bright red. I smirked.

"Struck out again?" I asked, propping myself up on my elbows. "It's okay, Luke, her hair only covers an empty skull," I teased, collapsing in a fit of giggles with Rose. He narrowed his eyes.

"Not funny, Soph."

"But honestly," Rose said, turning to him. "Are you ever going to suck it up and ask her out?"

"Are you ever going to ask out Scorpius?" he countered, arms crossed defiantly. Rose grinned.

"Touché."

"Thanks."

"WHAT DO YOU MEAN, YOU CAN'T FIX MY HAIR?" We turned to see Vanessa storming out of the infirmary and Madame Pomfrey, who was getting a little old, sigh and wobble back to her office. Rose and I let out a unanimous snort.

Win.

"Anyway, you guys should just face your fears and ask them out," I said wisely, pretending like we were never interrupted, "because otherwise, you'll never know. This is our last month of school, remember?" I felt like a grandmother, calmly telling her grandchildren that everything would be okay in the end, to just give it time. I might as well sprout wrinkles and grey hair right now.

They took one look at me and burst out into laughter.

Did I actually just sprout… nope, no wrinkles. Hair is as blonde as ever.

"What?" I demanded, crossing my arms and glaring at them. They laughed harder. My impatience grew. "What's so funny?"

Rose grinned maniacally at me, trying to keep her giggles to a minimum. "You couldn't be more of a hypocrite, could you?" I narrowed my eyes.

"Excuse me?"

"Come on, Soph," Luke reasoned, still doubled over from laughing. "You've liked Al for the entire time you've been at Hogwarts, and you could barely _talk _to the guy until a week ago." I gaped at him.

"It's because I say stupid things!" I protested loudly over their laughter. "Besides, I firmly believe the old saying that guys should be the ones to ask out the girl." Luke abruptly stopped laughing.

"That's bull –"

"AND, I think you should ask Vanessa out for one of the challenges on the List." I crossed my arms smugly as he scoffed.

"I will if you do," he shot back, looking mightily unimpressed. I rolled my eyes.

"Fine, I will!" We entered an unannounced staring contest for a few moments until Rose spoke up.

"What list?" she piped up curiously. Luke and I exchanged glances.

Bollocks.

"Well?" she enquired, sliding off the bed and facing the both of us. I cleared my throat nervously, still glancing at Luke.

"A-a grocery list?" I said meekly, giving her a guilty smile. Rose rolled her eyes.

"We have _house elves_," she told me, putting her hands on her hips. "What aren't you telling me?" I looked to Luke again, and she shrugged.

"I don't have any problem with her knowing," he said nonchalantly. My mouth fell open.

"I am _not _putting my best friend through something like that," I declared furiously. "Besides, we already did the first one, and she can't swim in the Black Lake _alone _–"

"You swam in the _Black Lake –_"

"It's honestly not that bad!" Luke justified defensively, narrowing his eyes now. "Besides, Scorpius would really love if Rose participated in this –"

"He _would?_"

I closed my eyes stubbornly. "No. What if she doesn't complete everything on the List? She won't graduate!" Luke scoffed.

"Of course she will! She's _Rose,_" he emphasized, pointing to her. "She's a _Gryffindor_. She can do it." My eyes shot back open to reply, but Rose let out a strangled scream. We glanced at her irritably before ignoring her.

Yep, _no one_ can interrupt sibling rivalry. It's dangerous. Positively _fatal_.

"Just because she's a Gryffindor doesn't mean she has some insane desire to do it, so _don't say the words._" His eyebrows raised, a light smirk playing on his lips.

"Why not?" he asked mockingly. My eyes widened.

"Rose should have the choice. _Don't _say the words." The pit of my stomach was unsettling.

"Okay, let's ask her," he said sardonically. The knot in my stomach tightened as he turned to a bewildered-looking Rose. "Do you want to participate in the Bu –"

"LUKE!"

"Fine, fine, don't get your knickers in a twist." He rolled his eyes at me before launching into his explanation. "We have a list that we're following. Sort of a list of things to do before graduation, only we put a spell on the list –"

"Idiots," I muttered under my breath.

"– and now we have to finish before graduation, or we don't graduate," he finished, ignoring my incoherent muttering. "And if we say the words, you're put under the charm. Want to join?" he asked Rose.

Her mouth opened and closed like a goldfish. I thought she was going to catch a fly in there.

"… you _idiots,_" she breathed at last, her eyes as wide as Quaffles. I sighed in relief.

"That's what I said!" I exclaimed happily. She ignored my outburst.

I have a feeling I'm getting ignored a lot.

"I'm not participating in this stupid list!" she shouted, mostly at Luke. "Do you know how much trouble you could get into for putting a spell like that one the list?" He blinked once.

"So?"

She let out a frustrated scream and stormed out of the Hospital Wing, almost colliding with a surprised-looking Scorpius. She roughly pushed him out of the way and disappeared down the hall. Scorpius looked dazed as he sat down at the edge of my bed, staring after her.

"Scorp, she just touched you. No need to faint," I teased. He seemed to snap out of his trance and notice us there.

"Why is she so angry?" he asked, glancing down the hall again as a blush tinged his cheeks.

"She's mad about the List," Luke answered, trying not to laugh at Scorpius. "We just told her –"

"_She's doing the List?_" he interrupted with hopeful eyes. I laughed and clutched at my pajamas in my hands. Merlin, Rose really needs to quit being so stubborn and snog him already, the guy is head-over-heels in love with her!

"Nah," I replied, and his face fell. "Why don't you just ask her out? You know you both like each other –" I was cut out by the horrified look that filled his eyes.

His skin actually _paled _at the thought. Blackmail material? I think so.

Luke began to laugh, obviously noticing the same thing "I can't do that!" Scorpius hissed, but perked up immediately, as though struck by an idea. He looked to me gleefully. "But you can!"

I clutched my pajamas tightly in my hand and leaned back. "I can't ask her out, I don't swing that way –"

He waved an impatient hand as Luke burst into another round of laughter. "No, ask her out _for _me. It's perfect." I scoffed and looked to Luke's guffawing.

"Can you believe him?" Luke ignored me, and I swivelled back to Scorp. "And you call yourself a Gryffindor," I said wearily, forgetting that Luke had used the same excuse earlier that day.

"My father was in Slytherin," he said thoughtfully, momentarily distracted. "He said I inherited his gift for coming up with schemes."

I snorted. This is the same father who _tried, _and _failed, _to kill Dumbledore.

Three times.

"What happened between you two?" I demanded immediately, seeing the opportunity present itself. "She never told me, and I'm not helping you until you tell me." He paled.

"I did something bad," he murmured, eyes dropping to the ground guiltily. "Really bad."

"What's that?" I asked eagerly, leaning forward slightly. He was positively sweating under the pressure.

That was kind of gross, actually.

"," he said in a fast voice, gripping his blonde hair and clenching his eyes shut.

"You did what?" Luke asked disbelievingly.

"I LOCKED HER IN A BROOM CLOSET WITH ME," he shouted, ignoring Madame Pomfrey's warnings. "She found out that I did it on purpose, and now she hates me!"

Right. Scorpius _definitely_ inherited his scheming skills from his father.

I rolled my eyes. "But she wants to snog you." His eyes widened, some colour flooding into his cheeks.

He seemed so hopeful… and about to piss his pants.

"Could you at least set us up?"

Set up Scorpius with my _best friend._ He's insane.

I backed up, looking to Luke and mouthing '_help!_'

Luke looked back and forth between us. "That's actually not a bad idea." I gasped before he went on. "I mean, you're a girl. You could set me up with Vanessa, too!" I closed my eyes and took deep breaths.

"I'd like to point out that even if I'm a girl, I don't necessarily get along with all of them," I said calmly, eyes closed. I felt as if I was on the verge of screaming.

"Please?" I cracked open an eyelid to see them both down on their knees, looking pathetically desperate.

Oh my Merlin, they're worse than _me._ I didn't think that was possible.

"FINE!" I agreed loudly, shutting my eyes from the sight and leaning back onto the pillows. With a last whoop and hug, they both left, cheerfully slamming the door shut. I opened my eyes and hugged my pajamas to my chest, hoping I'd never have to witness such a thing ever again.

For the record, I think _they _should be in the Hospital Wing. Not me.


	6. Aiden's Due for a Death Wish

**Chapter Six: Aiden's Due for a Death Wish**

_May 8_

Poke. Poke. Poke.

I swear – whoever's poking me is going to _die._

Poke. Poke. Poke.

Reluctantly, I opened my eyes to see two hazel eyes staring right into my eyes, still jabbing my arm with his finger.

"PERSONAL SPACE, AIDEN!" I screamed, clenching my eyes shut and pulling the covers over my eyes. Unfortunately, he hadn't stood up fast enough and ended up collapsing on top of me, underneath the covers.

_How_ do I get myself into these situations?

At least he's not poking me anymore.

"AIDEN!" I threw the covers off of us and scrambled as far away as I could from him. "What are you _doing _here_?_" He drew to his fullest height, scowling as he tried to fix his hair.

"I was trying to wake you!"

"Oh dear Merlin, _why_?" I asked, placing my hands on my hips, fully aware that I wasn't very intimidating in my pajamas covered with rubber ducks. Aiden looked plenty afraid anyway.

"I heard what you were going to do for Luke and Scorpius –" he began, but I let out a long groan.

"You mean they told your _entire_ dorm?" I spat, putting my face in their hands.

"Technically, they're half the dorm," Aiden mentioned casually, trying not to laugh. I shot him a dark look before flopping back down onto my bed and crossing my arms, waiting.

That's right. Nobody should mess with me in the mornings.

I rubbed the sleep out of my eyes. I wish Luke had better friends. Or better yet, I wish they didn't bother me. Except for Al, because he's, well… Al.

But _apparently, _according to Rose, I'm not in love with him.

I looked around the Hospital Wing. Madame Pomfrey still hadn't woken up, despite my incessant yelling; I personally think she should retire. Soon.

And let me out of this place.

I looked expectantly at Aiden, who was still waiting with his hands stuffed in his pockets, looking nervous and jumpy.

I sighed in resignation. "Alright, what do you want?"

He glanced around before lowering his voice. "You know Lily Potter?"

"Al's sister? Tomboy? Red hair?" I don't know why I'm asking this. How many Lily Potters are there, exactly?

Aiden nodded. "That's the one."

"What about her?"

He turned red, mumbling incoherently for a few minutes. I took advantage of this time to gather my uniform from my bed and pulling my stockings on. Eventually, I caught something along the lines of "… and then I kind of kissed her –"

_What?_

"You _kissed_ her?" I demanded, whipping my head so fast, I was sure I heard my neck crack. "Does Al know?"

He cocked his head. "Weren't you listening to anything I said?"

Of course not.

Upon seeing my blank face, he shook his head in disdain. "Al's my problem. Lily won't go out with me unless she's sure her brothers won't interfere! And since James graduated…"

"… you need to convince Al," I finished for him, frowning slightly. He really does have a problem. The Potter's have to be the most stubborn family I've ever met – heck, Harry Potter wouldn't have saved the world if it weren't for his blatant stubbornness.

Wait a minute…

"I can't help you convince Al!" I exclaimed, realizing exactly what Aiden was implying. I drew up to my fullest height and shoved my feet into shoes. My mind was completely made up. There was no _way –_

"I'll bribe you."

Well, this changes things.

"With what?" I asked eagerly, my face lighting up. Please let it be chocolate. Or new pajamas. They're kind of small now, after having them for so long. They have ducks on them. I can't possibly throw out something so precious!

Although, if Aiden gave me pajamas, that would be beyond creepy. Luke would probably kill him.

"I'll teach you how to fly!"

He did _not _just suggest that.

"I don't think so," I said dismissively, striding away from him and grasping the edge of the curtains in my hands. I poked my head out. All clear – just have to shake off Aiden, and I'd have myself an escape from this hole!

"We'll _all _teach you how to fly," he went on as if he hadn't heard me. "Luke and Scorp could help; they owe you as well –"

Maybe I should just run away. Yeah, that could work; I'd get away from this stupid Hospital Wing (which is another prison, I swear) and get out of having to have an extremely awkward conversation with Al.

Merlin, can you imagine? It'd probably go something like this:

Me: So… I think you should probably let Lily date someone.

Al: What do you mean?

Me: I just think that you shouldn't have to look after her.

Al: (looks at me funny) Why not? She's my baby sister!

Me: Al, she's sixteen. I think you should let her choose who to date.

Al: Why, did she talk to you?

Me: You could say that, yeah –

Al: (pales) Soph, you don't want to ask out my sister, do you?

Me: (also pales) What? Of course not! I just wanted to ensure there was _some _possibility of her dating someone. You know, without your or James' approval.

Al: Umm…

Me: It's not me, I swear! I don't swing that way –

Al: Well, neither does Lily – wait, does she?

Me: How would _I_ know?

Al: Don't you want to ask her out?

Me: NO! I mean, I'm in love with you, aren't I?

Al: _What?_

Me: …AIDEN LOVES YOUR BABY SISTER! GO KILL HIM!

I'm such a fail at life, it's not even funny anymore.

Hang on; was it funny in the first place?

"…and by the end, you'll be able to play in the Quidditch league –"

Oh, dear _Merlin_, there is something wrong with that boy.

"You know what I want to know?" I cut across impatiently, placing my hands on my hips. Aiden jumped up, a little startled that I had interrupted his rant.

"What?"

"Why you flirt with every girl within five feet with you," I spat, becoming more and more frustrated by the second. "I doubt even Lily would like that."

He blinked. "She wouldn't?"

Ladies and gentlemen, meet the stupidest boy on the _planet._

My jaw dropped to the ground. "Do you even _like _her, Aiden? Or is she just unattainable?"

Aiden began to panic. "No, I really do like her! She's really hot!"

My eyes slit. "Is that all? Or is there more to your _fascinating _story?"

His face distorted, as if he were trying to hide something. "I just…" He struggled and seemed to give up, his shoulders slumping. He looked me straight in the eye. "I dunno."

"How do you _not_ know why you like a girl?" I asked in exasperation. "There must be some reason to why you're willing to go through so much for Lily."

"I just told you," he snapped, sounding extremely annoyed by now, "she's hot!"

_Touchy, _isn't he?

I ripped the curtains open, effectively (and loudly) escaping the confinements of the infirmary – not to mention Aiden's presence.

Honestly, the boy expects me to help him. He hits on me practically every day – in front of Luke, no less – pushed me in a _lake_ and offered to teach me how to fly. _Fly. _I think you've experienced enough of my hatred for the stupid sport. Other people are meant to play it, not me.

_Aiden sure has some nerve,_ I thought angrily as I stormed through the hallways, clutching my bag in one hand, skirt in the other. _As if he just asked me for help. I bet he doesn't even _like _Lily…_

I revelled in the rising sunlight splattered across the walls. I loved Sunday mornings, especially in May – the weather was usually nice, the days were longer and I felt like doing nothing but lazing around outside.

Too bad NEWTS and that _stupid _Bucket List are hanging over my head.

I have to admit, the spell was admirable; swimming was automatically crossed off the list. Unfortunately, that was the _only _thing crossed off – and we still have a month to complete it!

The problem with this list is that half of it is done at night – and I like my sleep. More like, I can _not_ sacrifice my resting hours for something trivial as drinking firewhiskey, or sneaking to Hogsmeade.

I don't want to embarrass myself, either. Humiliation is something I don't deal with very well, even if I've experienced my share of it. And doing something I'm afraid of? What exactly am I supposed to do? My biggest fear is _Albus – _do I kill him? I am not going to kill the love of my life, thanks!

Ahem – the _crush _of my life. Right.

Speaking of Al, I thought tutoring was supposed to _help _me, and I honestly don't feel as if I'm learning anything new. I mean, sure – I learned that Al is my Boggart. He's been helping me drill stuff into my head, but I feel as if I already knew it all.

Maybe Al is just a really amazing tutor? I suppose so; he's _brilliant _at Defence.

_But I know_ _this stuff, _I thought to myself, feeling dejected. _Maybe I'm overestimating myself._ Sighing, I turned a corner and promptly met with someone's chest.

"Ack!" I let out a squeak as I toppled to the floor, my skirt flying out of my hand and a couple of textbooks hitting the floor. My head instantly throbbed as it hit the ground, and I let out a moan of pain.

How do these things always happen to me? Seriously – WATCH WHERE YOU'RE GOING!

"Are you alright?" asked a voice. I opened my eyes to see Al leaning over me, eyes heavy with concern and shock.

Okay, this _has _to be a dream. I just hit my head, didn't I?

"Yeah," I groaned, clutching my head. Al grasped one of my hands and pulled me up into a sitting position, his hand feeling warm and reassuring.

"I'm really sorry," he said, sounding guilty and full of regret. "This is the second time I've knocked you over."

Actually, I fell for him _years _ago.

Haha, get it? No? Not funny? You're throwing TOMATOES at me? Tough crowd…

"Oh, it's alright," I said nonchalantly, waving a hand at him. "I've spent more time on the floor than I care to think about." As soon as I said it, I clamped a hand to my mouth.

Wow, the implications of that sentence…

"Er… okay," he answered, biting back a smile.

"I mean," I corrected, my cheeks reddening a lovely shade of… nope. It's just embarrassingly red. Like _clown _red. "I just fall a lot. Not usually." I cleared my throat. "Just these… days," I ended weakly, pinching myself and hoping desperately it was a dream.

I _told _you I didn't deal well with humiliation, didn't I?

"Why are you pinching yourself?" he asked, peering at me.

Okay, so it's not a dream.

When I didn't answer, he pulled me off the floor, the apologetic look still radiating off his face. I gave him what I hoped to be a confident smile, but it probably just looked like I was grimacing. And blushing profusely.

Attractive.

"Why are you wearing pajamas?" he asked, brushing his eyes over me.

"I just got out of the Hospital Wing," I supplied, wishing desperately I wasn't wearing these particular pajamas. I mean, they're sort of frayed by now, with holes and whatnot, plus they're really tight since I had them for a long time. Not to mention they have _rubber ducks_ on them.

Did _I _say rubber ducks were amazing? I take that back.

… well, maybe only in front of Al.

"I remember when you told my Grandpa that you put rubber ducks in soup!" he exclaimed eagerly. I couldn't help but smile, glancing at my old, faded pajamas.

Okay, so rubber ducks are always amazing.

Even if Al is remembering an embarrassing moment of my life.

"What are you doing up here, anyway?" I blurted out. "Were you going to the Hospital Wing?" His smile faltered a little.

"Yeah, I was looking for you." My heart picked up a bit of speed, and I looked hopefully at him.

Wait a minute. This sounded awfully familiar.

"Oh, no," I muttered, my face falling considerably. "You're not looking for girl advice, are you?"

Al looked taken aback. "No, I have to win a bet, remember?"

"You – _what_?" I squinted my eyes at him. He never told me of any bet…

"Yeah," he confirmed, looking adorably confused. "When I was in my first year, I made the mistake of telling James he had to stop leading on girls. You see," he paused for a second. "You should never tell James what to do."

I frowned. "I'll keep that in mind?"

He rolled his eyes. "He bet me his broomstick that I couldn't go through Hogwarts without having a girlfriend."

"You gave up _girls _for a broomstick?" I demanded. Luke would never do something like that – even for Vanessa Brown.

Then again, it's _Vanessa Brown._

"I was _eleven_!" he pointed out indignantly. "Besides, he took my dad's old broomstick, a _Firebolt._" His eyes lit up; I couldn't quite hold back my laugh.

"What in the name of Merlin is a Firebolt?" I asked, suppressing a few giggles. His mouth dropped open.

"Only the best broomstick in the world!" he replied loudly, his voice echoing in the empty corridor.

"Alright, alright," I answered, smiling. So _this _is why he never had a girlfriend…

My smile faltered. Right. That would include me, wouldn't it?

"So thanks, but I don't really need girl advice," he finished, still looking a little distraught.

"I can't believe you gave up girls for a broom," I thought out loud, still feeling put out. He shrugged, eyes glazing over slightly.

"There was one girl I liked," he said, sounding far away, "but I sort of gave up on it."

"Oh?" I swallowed a lump in my throat. "Why?"

I was afraid to ask who. I think I'd probably rip her to shreds.

"The bet, remember?" He laughed a little nervously, looking slightly uncomfortable. "Anyway, Luke, Scorp and Aiden want your help, right?"

"They do," I moaned, closing my eyes at the thought. "Can you believe it?"

"Well, they are pretty desperate."

"The worst part is that I basically agreed," I told him, feeling it all pour out into the open, "and I'm not planning on doing _anything._"

"Oh –"

"I don't know what to do!" I confessed. I am apparently in dire need of a permanent sticking charm. On my mouth. "I don't want to let them down, and they want to teach me how to fly. _Fly._ What is wrong with them?"

Why am I rambling to Al, anyway? He's going to think of me as a complete nutter!

You know, if he doesn't already…

"I –"

"Do you really want help from a girl as delusional as I am?" I demanded, looking up to the ceiling in defeat. "That's who I –"

I stopped talking abruptly when Al squeezed my hand, forcing me to look into his eyes.

Holy _freaking _Merlin.

"I just wanted to meet you for tutoring after lunch," he said uncertainly, his green eyes burning into mine. "Is that alright with you?" I tried to answer, but I couldn't breathe.

Al was holding my hand this _entire time._

I couldn't be dreaming, I'm deadand in heaven – and I _really_ like it here.

I could only nod. He gave me a smile before walking away, leaving my heart beating rapidly and mouth (probably) still wide open.

Forget what Rose says; I am most _definitely _in love with this guy.


	7. My Pain is Their Amusement

**Chapter Seven: My Pain is Their Amusement**

_May 11_

Step one: swing one leg over the broom. Check.

Step two: plant feet firmly onto the ground. Check.

Step three: grip handle tightly. Check.

Step four: take three deep breaths. Check.

Step five: make sure no one is around.

… I might need a little help with this one.

Luke's broom shook violently in my hands as I sat, eyes closed, heart beating erratically fast. I felt Luke, Scorpius and Aiden's eyes burning holes into my back.

Or in Aiden's case, probably a little lower than my back.

I tried to ignore this highly likely fact and settled for internally gagging. Only _internally_, people! This is such an improvement!

Three… deep… breaths… _gaaaag._

"Come on Soph, we don't have all day!"

Believe it or not, Luke is the Captain of the Gryffindor Quidditch team, but he is an _awful _teacher. It's almost as if he's forgotten that I'm his sister and the fact that I've been terrified of flying since my first year. He's impatient and irritable.

On second thought, they all are.

_Okay, _I thought, giving myself a pep talk. _Just because they suckered you into this, doesn't mean you'll fall again. Just calm down and kick off gently, just like Luke showed you._

It is sad day when I have to give pep talks to myself, and I have _three _people trying to teach me how to fly.

"I CAN'T DO THIS!"

Now, where did _that _come from?

Oh, right. That's me, expressing the extent of my fear.

"Soph, I know you're scared of falling, but just _get your butt up in the air_!"

Stupid brothers.

I pushed tentatively off the ground. Fortunately (sort of), I rose a couple of metres into the air. Unfortunately, I did something that caused my broom to flip forward and spin in the air. Multiple times.

"AHHHHHHHH!" I screamed as I flew off the broom (again) and landed face-first into a patch of mud on the Quidditch pitch.

"It's not funny!" I wailed, spitting mud out of my mouth. Merlin, I wish these guys didn't have a free period with my on Wednesdays. They wouldn't have snuck up on me in the corridor, held me hostage and forced me onto the Quidditch pitch.

Apparently, they were trying to pay me back for "helping" them with the love of their lives. _Apparently, _they don't see the point in actually paying me back in a way that I actually _like_. I think chocolate is good enough, okay?

And do they _ever _stop laughing?

"Soph, I think you'll need a bit more help than we thought you would," Luke said, throwing a ratty towel at my grimy face.

"Maybe if you didn't laugh at my every attempt, I would be better off," I shot back, my voice muffled from the towel. Standing up, I gave the broom a rather dirty look from where it lay in the patch of mud.

No pun intended.

"You flipped _forward_ on the broomstick – try leaning back a little?" Scorpius suggested, still sniggering a little.

I eyed the broom, making a decision a second later. "I'm not getting back on there," I announced loudly.

The boys exchanged identical, maniacal grins before looking back to me, mischief glittering in their eyes.

Well, I'm afraid now. Luke _did _swing me over his shoulder to get me here.

Absolutely mortifying.

"Now, why won't you get back on the broom?" Aiden asked, choosing his words carefully. I noticed them advance slightly.

"Because it's evil," I said nervously, stepping backwards and shooting the broom another death glare. "It's out to get me!"

Even the _broom _quivered under my glare (no, it was not the wind). Why couldn't I scare the boys unless I was leaning out the window?

"Soph, it's not the broom that's evil," Luke told me, picking it from the mud lovingly. "You just can't fly." I gaped in surprise.

Holy Merlin, I think Luke loves his _broom _more than me!

This is rather insulting, actually.

"You know what?" I snapped, snatching the broom out of his hands. "I'm going to learn how to fly –"

"Great!" Aiden encouraged, his face breaking into a genuine smile.

"– _without _your help," I added sharply, enjoying how the smiles slowly slide from their faces. Try it sometime, it's amusing.

Wait a minute. _What did I just say_?

Oh bloody _hell._

GET THOSE WORDS BACK INTO MY MOUTH!

"Fine!" Luke spluttered, the shock having finally worn off. "Go ahead!"

Feeling incredibly stupid, I mounted the broom and kicked off the ground, harder than I had first anticipated. To my surprise (and probably the boys' as well), I was lifted gracefully into their, hovering a few feet.

I smiled widely. It felt _amazing_, even if I wasn't very high off the ground. The feeling of being lifted above the ground was breathtaking.

Somehow, I had managed the turn the broom slightly, smugly watching the boys' drop halfway to the ground, practically salivating.

Okay, maybe not. But I like to think they were. Who _wouldn't _want three fit, Quidditch-playing teenage boys drooling over them?

Except for Luke, because that would be a little awkward.

I sat back a little, remembering Scorpius' instructions from before, and enjoyed the scene of the three boys sulkily stomping off the pitch.

I love winning, don't you?

Without any warning, the world spun around me as the broom flipped again. Except this time, it went _backwards_.

I slammed into the ground again, my mouth filling with mud. I spit out all out and opened my eyes, seeing Luke's broom still in _perfect _condition. Only a little dirty. In the distance, I heard the bell ring.

Oh, _bollocks. _I have tutoring in ten minutes.

Did I mention it takes twenty minutes to get back to the castle?

Sighing, I lifted myself off the ground and began to run.

I skidded in front of Al's table in the library, sweaty, muddy and completely out of breath. I could tell he was trying hard not to laugh as I gripped the back of my hair, wheezing and trying to ignore the stich in my side.

"Err… are you okay there, Soph?" he asked knowingly. I plopped down into the chair opposite from him, not bothering to answer.

Alright, I _couldn't _answer. I was breathing too hard.

"You're getting mud on the chair," he said immediately, standing up. "Come on, let's get out of here before Madame Pince murders us."

Wordlessly, I followed him out of the library (earning some off looks in between from various people), my chest heaving embarrassingly. As soon as we exited the library, he turned around, his eyes amused.

"What happened?" he asked, his smile wide and playful. I looked at him helplessly.

"I tried to learn how to fly," I supplied sadly, my voice coming out raspy. "Luke, Scorpius and Aiden, remember?" He burst into loud bouts of laughter, amplified by the corridor.

"They can't teach for their lives. Why would you ask _them_?"

"I _didn't_!" I shouted, feeling distraught. "Come on, I ran all the way here, I just fell off my broom approximately thirty different ways in the past hour and probably swallowed a worm or two and I think I have mud in my _underwear _because I landed in the mud so many times!"

Oh Merlin. I really wish I didn't say that.

At least he's laughing, right?

I crossed my arms and tapped my foot impatiently, waiting for his laughter to subside into small chuckles.

"I can't believe you let Luke teach you anything," he said, still grinning broadly. "He tried to teach me to Wronski Feint once, and we ended up duelling in the middle of the Quidditch pitch."

I tried to keep myself from smiling at the thought. "Are you done yet?"

"Almost," he joked, taking my arm and pulling me towards the Grand Staircase. "Come on, we'll try something different today."

"My Uncle George loves this spell," Al said, pulling out a textbook from his bag. "He said he and his twin used a simple Shield Charm on clothing and made a _ton _of money."

I smiled, sitting on top of one of the desks in the Defence Against the Dark Arts classroom. "I've already learned how to do a Shield Charm, Al."

"I know." He rolled up his sleeves and pulled out his wand, pointing it directly at me. Feeling alarmed, I drew my wand quickly.

"Oi, what are you doing?"

"I'm going to shoot water at you," he said, motioning for me to go to the middle of the classroom, "and you have to reflect it."

I frowned. "But if I don't get the charm right away, you'll spray me with water."

He grinned at me, making my breath catch in my throat. "Exactly. Why do you think I suggested this?"

My eyes widened. "Hey, it's not _that _bad!" I reasoned weakly, pulling bits of mud out of my hair. They splattered into the ground noisily.

Bad timing?

"You're a mess, Soph."

I scowled. "Well, I guess I'll just leave, then – OI!" Al had shot a jet of water into my hair.

He twirled his wand in his hand, grinning cheekily. "It slipped."

I flicked my wand and sent a stream of water back towards him. He reflected it, almost lazily.

"Is that all you've got?" he taunted.

"I thought you were teaching me Defence?" I asked, trying to send more water in his direction. It bounced off his charm, little flecks of water ultimately spraying me again.

"I am," he replied. "You never know when you'll encounter a giant fireball."

I momentarily paused, lowering my wand. "A fireball? Really?" I asked sceptically.

He smirked. "Yep." Without further ago, he let down his shield and shot a wave of water me so fast, I barely had time to blink.

I stood there, clothes drenched and my teeth chattering. My eyes flashed dangerously as I spat the water out, stepping towards Al slowly.

"You're clean," he called, decidedly unconcerned. I gave a little jerk with my wand, and he was thrown backwards and off his feet.

Ha. Sucker.

He laughed at my murderous expression and dropped his wand to the floor. He looked up at me and held up his hands. "I surrender."

I smiled and let down the shield indefinitely. "Good."

"Here." Al stood and pulled off his robes, throwing it to me. "You might want this." It was then I realized that I was wearing my white school uniform. Which was wet. And very transparent.

Oh _Merlin, _I hope he didn't see anything!

I clutched his robes like a shield, cheeks burning furiously. Al didn't seem to sense my embarrassment; he merely looked pleased, picking up his textbook and stowing it into his bag.

"Brilliant shield charm," he said cheerfully, waving his wand at the water in the classroom. "We can continue tomorrow."

"How about drying my clothes?" I asked hopefully, watching the water evaporate from around us. He raised an eyebrow.

"Soph, it's _summer_," he emphasized, pushing his wand back into his pocket and stepping back to sit on a desk.. "Just dry off outside. We have to go out there anyway and meet the others; we need to plan a party for this Friday."

He just said 'we have to go out.' _Go out_. Sure, there were more words after that, but I could easily ignore them, couldn't I?

Wow, I really am pathetic. He wouldn't ask to go out with me; I'm his best friend's sister. He doesn't actually like me. Plus, there's that stupid bet he was talking about.

Stupid boys and their brooms.

Hang on.

"A _party_?" I sat beside him on the desk and reached into my bag and pulled out the List. There is was, in plain ink.

_1. Swim in the Black Lake_

_2. Plan a party_

_3. Sneak into Hogsmeade at night_

_4. Drink Firewhiskey_

_5. Embarrass yourself (on purpose)_

_6. Do something you're scared of_

_7. Pull off a great prank_

Wait a minute. Why was number six crossed off?

"Al," I said uncertainly, feeling very confused. "Something else crossed off my list."

"What?" He took the List from my hands and scanned it, his eyebrows rising in bewilderment. "What did you do?"

"I don't know!" I confessed, taking the parchment back and staring at the black line. "It was the same a few days ago –"

"Maybe it was the flying," he said suddenly, eyes lighting up. "Aren't you terrified of getting on a broom?" I shook my head.

"That can't be it," I dismissed, staring determinedly at the List again. "I didn't actually manage to learn how to fly, did I?"

"Conquering your fear is the point, isn't it?" he pointed out. I shrugged, a smile creeping onto my lips. Oddly enough, it felt good to have something crossed off the List.

"We're planning a party." I frowned. "This is stupid, I have NEWTS to study for, I can't plan a _party _right now."

Al's smile faded a little. "Right. Those."

I sighed. "I've got to make sure the only reason I'm not graduating is because of the Bucket List. Then I can blame you four."

"We'll finish it," he promised immediately. "We're planning this party on Friday –"

"Friday the thirteenth?" I interrupted sceptically. "Really?"

"Scorpius thought he was clever," Al commented, rolling his eyes and leaning back on his hands. "It's not a bad day, though. We all have something planned out for the rest of the List, except for the prank."

He actually looked a little worried. It was adorable.

Must. Stop. Noticing. These. Things. GAH.

My eyes bugged out. "You already have things planned out?" I asked frantically. "Why didn't anyone tell me? Should I plan things too?"

He shrugged. "We were talking in the dormitory. I guess no one thought to tell you."

_Brilliant._ Just leave me out of everything, won't you?

"What've you got planned?" I demanded, sliding off the desk. He followed me out the door as we headed outside, eyes glazed over.

"You'll see," he said mysteriously. "I recommend you try and come up with something on your own – Soph?"

I had stopped in my tracks, a thought having struck me suddenly. "What if we set off a water fight during graduation?" I asked slowly, mulling it over as I spoke. "I mean, it'd be weird timing because of the List, but it's like you said; it's summer, and everyone would be – eep!"

Al picked me up and spun me around, apparently overcome with happiness. "That's a brilliant idea, Soph!" He put me down and ran towards the doors leading outside, evidently going to tell the others.

I stood there in shock, mouthing wordlessly and earning some weird looks from other students passing in the corridors. I didn't care, though; a few days ago, Al had held me hand. Now?

Al Potter just hugged me.

And _wow_, he smells good.


	8. The Party I Didn't Attend

**Chapter Eight: The Party I Didn't Attend**

_May 13_

The Marauders have to be the most unorganized boys I've ever met.

Seriously; I can see why they're so close. Each and every one of them left planning this party until the very last minute. We're in the Gryffindor Common Room now, only a few hours before the party, moving chairs around and _trying _to set up. They're mainly just goofing off.

They have big mouths, though – everyone knows about the party.

BUT NOTHING'S READY!

"I _still _think we should decorate," Scorpius grumbled, looking distraught as he and Aiden lifted a table out from the middle of the room. I sighed, pushing my sweaty blonde hair out of my face.

"We _can't_," I said for the umpteenth time. "We don't have that kind of time."

"Plus, no one really cares after they've had a couple of shots of Firewhiskey," Luke added, grinning widely as he and Al pushed a couch away from the middle of the room.

"Drinking Firewhiskey is on the List, right?" Aiden asked, setting the table against the wall. "Maybe we should do that tonight."

"Nah, we were planning for that on Hogsmeade," Al said absent-mindedly, putting the couch down and flopping onto it. "Weren't we?"

"This is the first I'm hearing of this," I said loudly over the other boys' nods of approval.

"Really? We were talking about it last night," Scorpius commented, frowning a little. I lay back onto the floor, sighing loudly.

"Were you talking about it in your dormitory?" I asked dully, staring up at the ceiling in resignation.

"Yeah!" Luke glanced over to me from the other couch he was pushing against the wall, his face rippled with confusion. "Why weren't you there?"

I slapped a hand to my forehead. Really, I worry about these boys.

"Soph, you hang out in the dormitory all the time," Aiden pointed out, pulling out his wand and vanishing rubbish off the tables.

"Whatever," I dismissed, hoping the colour had left my face. "When are we going to Hogsmeade?"

"A few days before exams," Scorpius answered, jumping onto the couch next to Al. My jaw dropped in surprise.

"Shouldn't we be _studying_?" I asked, narrowing my eyes. Luke shrugged.

"It's the only night we _can_ go," he explained, collapsing into an armchair. "Are we done clearing up here?"

"I suppose so," I said quickly, "but I really have to do well in Defence –"

"Don't worry about it, you'll do fine," Al cut in, giving me an encouraging smile. I felt my brain go fuzzy as I literally melted, settling myself happily on the floor.

I think it's rather disturbing that Al controls my emotions – but as long as he keeps smiling at me, I think I'm okay with it.

His hugs are nice, too.

"Okay, I agreed dizzily. _Wow_ – I just sounded so much like one of those boy-crazy ditzy girls who devote their entire lives completely to this one hot, dreamy and absolutely _perfect_ boy. Look at me, I even have the stereotypical blonde hair!

But I'm not one of thosegirls, I swear.

Then again, I just swooned when Al _smiled _at me. I totally am. Easily pleased, in the most non-slaggish of ways. Honestly.

…bloody hell, I'm worse than Vanessa Brown!

Well, at least I don't prance around in booty shorts and a bra on the Quidditch pitch. I like wearing clothes, believe it or not. Merlin knows Luke is so easily distracted at the beginning of games when Vanessa feels the need to "cheer." I wonder if Al would like that…

NO! I'm not that desperate. Under no circumstances will I stoop that low.

_Stupid bet._

"I guess this'll be crossed off as soon as the party starts?" I asked, stretching a little. The boys ignored me and continued chattering on about their plans in Hogsmeade, and who knows what else. "OI! PARTY! Happening in approximately ten short minutes!"

Nothing.

"People are going to _be _here soon!"

Seriously? _Still _nothing?

"Girl with big boobs coming through!"

So typical.

They swivelled around, looking across the Common room eagerly for the non-existent girl. I rolled my eyes and stomped over to them, snapping a finger in Luke's face.

"Get ready," I told him, crossing my arms defiantly.

"Go away, Soph," he said absent-mindedly and looking over my shoulder. I scoffed.

How dense _is _he, exactly?

"You _smell, _Luke," I whined.

"I had practice this morning –"

"Did I mention Vanessa's going to be at this party?"

Wow, that was fast.

Scorpius and Al laughed and followed him up to their dormitory, still talking about who-knows-what. I made my way towards the girl's dormitory, only to be pulled back.

By my _hair._

It's really strange why this hurts so much. It's not exactly hurting my hair (after all, there's no feeling there), but my head feels like it's been put under the Crutiatus Curse. All the girls out there should understand the excruciating pain I was feeling, correct?

Mind explaining it to Aiden?

I glared at him, rubbing my head and blinking away the tears prickling at my eyes. "Aiden, one of these days –"

"I need your help." He looked worried and vulnerable – but my head _really _hurt.

So I laughed.

I'm a terrible person.

"You should've thought about that _before _you pulled my hair," I told him, still massaging my scalp. His eyes were pleading.

"Please?" he asked in a small voice. I sighed.

"If this is about Lily –"

"I'm _desperate, _Soph," he begged, hazel eyes widening. "This could be my last chance to win Lily over once and for all –"

"That's where I've got a problem," I interrupted, feeling some of my earlier anger reappear. "I don't want you to '_win her over_' to say you've shagged every girl at Hogwarts –"

"It's _different, _Soph!" He began to pace, face screwed in concentration and pain. "I don't want to shag her."

I crossed my arms, looking sceptically at him. "You don't, do you?"

"Well… okay, of course I do," he admitted, "but it's not only that. I like spending time with her. I'm not just in for…"

"Your hormones?" I supplied.

"Exactly." He nodded frantically. "There's so much more than that." His eyes her hopeful, remembering.

And unfortunately, he probably wouldn't leave me alone until I agreed.

I let down my arms and let them fall to my sides, looking to the ground in resignation. "What do you want me to do?"

"This is _stupid,_" I hissed to Aiden, barely hearing myself over the loud, blaring music. "Who hosts a party without food, but plenty of alcohol?"

"Just go get Al to help you," he replied, peering over heads distractedly. "You'll get food, and it should give me enough time with Lily."

"I _can't_ distract Al," I insisted for the umpteenth time. "I don't know how!"

"Of course you can," he answered matter-of-factly. "If you wore the dress, it would've helped, but you wanted to wear… _that._"

"I'm not a slag, Aiden," I said through gritted teeth. He made a non-committal jerk with his head and pointed towards Al, who was speaking to a couple of guys on the Quidditch team.

"Go ahead – and don't forget to look frantic!" he added, cheerfully striding away from me and into the crowds. I sighed and shook my head, heading towards Al.

Showtime.

"Al!" I grabbed his arm and forcibly twisted him around, and quickly. I wanted to seem as if my problem was of utmost urgency – as if I needed his help, or I wouldn't survive. Unfortunately, he was unsuspecting my aggressive actions and stumbled forward, basically pushing me to the ground accidentally. Then, to top it all off, he fell.

On _me._

Well, this isn't part of the plan.

(No, it really isn't!)

He quickly scrambled off of me as the two guys let out a round of wolf-whistles. I blushed and stood, avoiding his eyes.

"Sorry," I muttered, pushing hair forward to hide my burning face. He ducked around, searching my face and eyebrows scrunched together with worry.

"Are you okay?" he asked, ignoring the sniggering guys behind him.

"Actually, I need –"

"Did I hurt you when I…" he trailed off, clearly hoping he wouldn't have to finish his sentence. I quickly shook my head, relieving him of his misery.

"No, no! I'm fine!" I squeaked. "But I really need your help. We have a problem."

"With what?"

"We need food," I said in a quiet voice so as students around us wouldn't hear. My heart sped up as he leaned closer to listen to me over the music.

"What?"

"We need food!" I said a little louder, trying to think straight within his close proximity. "We have alcohol, but didn't get _any_ food." Thankfully, he leaned back as he searched the room for the food that wasn't there. I breathed a sigh of relief.

Don't look at me like that.

"I guess we should go get some, then?" he asked, looking back to me.

I nodded. "Yeah. Will you help me?"

"Sure, of course..." He waved again to his smirking team members and followed me out the Common Room and down the steps. It only occurred to me after this was over how suspicious this seemed.

Whoops.

"Are you enjoying the party?" he asked, stuffing his hands in his pockets as we made our way down. I shrugged, feeling only a little guilty for leading him away from Aiden and Lily.

"I guess so. It feels a little stressful, being a host," I replied honestly. He nodded in understanding, keeping silent as we listened to our steps clanging on the stairs. I felt more awkward by the minute.

Which is really sad, because after these few weeks, I thought we would've at least considered ourselves as friends.

Do friends normally have awkward moments?

"Have you decided which Healing School you want to attend?" he asked, trying the break the ice. I let out a hollow, ironic laugh.

"At this point, I need to pass Defence," I confessed, feeling fear clench my insides as we turned a corner. "It's the only subject that's holding me back."

Al looked uncomfortable. "I promise you'll do fine."

"I have a problem with nerves." Like right now; I was sweating bullets, as gross as that sounds. I suppose if I wore the dress Aiden told me to wear, I wouldn't have sweat as much – but it would've also meant that I wouldn't have been able to lean over without flashing someone. Nah, I decided to wear normal clothing – and that covered me enough to catch all my sweat.

Why am I so nervous?

Maybe it was the fact that I was alone with Al in a dark corridor, not to mention the castle was pretty warm at this time of year. I had a sneaking suspicion it had less to do with the temperature, though.

Just imagine my nerves at the Defence Practical Exam.

"You know everything well enough to pass," he assured me, "even with nerves."

"I suppose," I said, wanting to change the subject. "Have you figured out what you want to do?"

"Yeah, actually," he answered, smiling. "I think I want to be a teacher. My jaw dropped in surprise as he went on. "I mean, it makes sense; I was _named _after two teachers. My dad taught a bunch of people in his fifth year. Tutoring you as been great –" my heart swelled at the thought "– and I love it, so why not?"

I laughed. "You'll be an amazing teacher, Al," I told him, mulling over it. Me, a Healer (hopefully) and Al, a teacher – yep. I'd totally be happy with that when we get married.

I mean…

"You think so?" he asked, sounding amused.

"Of course!" I pushed open a door and descended down more steps. "If your teaching is anything like your tutoring, I'm sure you'll be great."

"Has it really helped?" he asked hesitantly. "The tutoring?"

"Definitely." I opened another door and spotted the giant fruit bowl. "I'm so glad you're my tutor." I reached out to tickle the green pear (it's so cute! I love its little laugh) but Al grabbed my hand and turned me towards him.

Holy crap.

His green eyes shone in the little light along the walls of the dungeons, looking uncomfortable and worried. I couldn't speak; my hand was clamped in his, and my breath was coming a little short. His gaze was too intense.

"Soph, I need to tell you something," he whispered, locking his eyes with mine. I nodded and pressed my lips together. I didn't trust my voice.

He leaned a little closer, glancing around the empty corridor to make sure he wouldn't be overheard. "I did something really awful," he confessed, looking inexplicably guilty. "I hope you'll forgive me for it." My mouth went dry.

"What is it?" I whispered back. I swallowed a little and tried to steady the haze that was my mind. He squeezed my hand tightly, taking a deep breath.

"You're –"

"_Busted._"

We sprang apart as a voice appeared from the shadows. It was apparent we hadn't heard Filch's footsteps in our trance.

Stupid, stupid, _stupid_.

"Detention!" he wheezed, limping towards us with a leering grin.

"It's not curfew!" Al protested, looking extremely annoyed. I checked my watch.

10:16.

Whoops.

Filch looked rather gleeful from my look of horror. "Detention next week, lovers. Back to the Common Room, where you can continue your shameful activities."

"We're not –"

"Mr. Potter, would you like two detentions?" Al shut his mouth, looking extremely sulky. Filch grinned happily at us the entire way back, making sure we went back to the Common Room.

A little paranoid, if you ask me.

"Well, now we don't have any food," Al said bitterly as we climbed through the Portrait Hole. "They'll just have to survive off dinner, I suppose. I'll see you tomorrow, I'm bloody exhausted."

"But –"

"Night, Soph." He left me in the middle of the party, hungry and drunk Gryffindors stumbling and trying to dance along to the music that was too loud to bear. I looked around, but couldn't see Aiden anywhere. Luke was sulking in a corner with Scorpius, both evidently having been shot down again.

So much for planning a party.


	9. Frustrating Secrets

**Chapter Nine: Frustrating Secrets**

_May 18_

"Sophia Wood and Aiden Thomas."

Hate my life.

Aiden moved his cauldron next to mine, cheerfully lighting the fire underneath it and whistling. I rolled my eyes and flipped to the correct page in the textbook.

"Oi!" he yelped as I swatted his hand away from the cauldron. "What's got your knickers in a twist?"

"Nothing," I said unconvincingly, trying not to glare at him. Truth is, I'd been in a slump all week; NEWTS were barely a week away, and I still felt unprepared. Studying into late hours of the night is not something I particularly like to do.

I need it. I'm failing a class in the last month of school.

Not that I've been _focused_ by any means; Al's been tutoring me, but it hasn't been the same. Every time I mention anything about the party, he starts mumbling under his breath and changes the subject.

Or leaves the vicinity.

It's really quite insulting.

I don't understand why he would bring it up if he didn't want to tell me. It's obviously eating him up, so what's the big deal? I'd probably understand, whatever it is; let's face it. I'd go to great lengths for this guy.

Why can't he just _tell me_ what it is? Doesn't he realize that keeping things from people after you've introduced it is a form of torture?

(I love being melodramatic. But still.)

I'm going to end up living on the streets, alone and trying to beg Luke for money. All because a stupid boy I happen to be in love with won't tell me what's going on, disrupting my mind and causing me to fail.

Thus, the reason for my ongoing slump.

"I have to thank you, by the way." I sighed in defeat.

"For what?" I asked monotonously.

"For helping Lily and I get together, of course!" If possible, his grin grew wider as he smashed lacewing flies into oblivion.

Ew, it's oozing…

"Aiden," I said tiredly, closing my eyes. "That party was a week ago."

He looked unconcerned. "So? Better late than never, right?"

I groaned and turned back to the potion, stirring it clockwise a couple of times. "You're welcome."

"I knew you'd have no trouble distracting Al!" he pointed out happily. "You had nothing to worry –"

"I'm guessing he still hasn't a clue about you and Lily?" His smile faltered a little.

"Not exactly, no," he commented after a pause. I smirked. "But I'm planning on telling him –"

"When – if he catches you snogging her?" To my immense surprise, Aiden mumbled something incoherently. And _blushed_.

I didn't know guys had that ability.

"What was that?" I asked curiously, leaning closer to him. "I didn't quite catch that."

"Wehaven'tsnoggedyet," he got out, blending the words together and avoiding my eyes. I frowned, forgetting about the smoking cauldron before us.

"I thought you kissed her."

"Yeah, but it wasn't… it didn't count," he decided with finality. "She didn't kiss me back."

I grinned. "Good for Lily. You didn't deserve it."

He scowled. "Are you leaning closer just to make Al jealous or something?" I jumped backwards, unaware that I had been rather close to Aiden in efforts to obtain information. I quickly glanced to Al, hoping he hadn't seen.

"I don't know what you're talking about," I said distractedly, turning back to the cauldron after determining Al hadn't heard.

"You don't deny it," he said in a wise voice, smirking.

"I still haven't a clue to what you're going on about," I insisted, glancing again to make sure he wasn't listening. He wasn't.

Thank Merlin.

"Well, it's obvious you like Al," he stated, not bothering to keep his voice down as he chopped his roots into thirds. "He made a stupid bet –"

"Hang on a second," I interrupted, trying to keep the fear out of my voice. "What makes you think I like him in the first place?"

"Oh _please,_" he countered, rolling his eyes. "You're always making googly eyes at him. You agree to nearly everything he says –"

"I do not!" I said defensively. "I yelled at him just a little while ago!"

"– not to mention, your face is redder than a tomato when he's around," he continued, giving no indication of having heard me. "Including now, come to think of it –"

My hands flew to my face immediately. "Aiden, who told you?"

"Lily," he exclaimed cheerfully, "she's really smart at this stuff!" I smacked a hand to my forehead.

"How many people know, exactly?" I asked in a weak voice, slumping into a chair. Aiden shrugged, taking a whiff of the potion.

"This reeks!" he spat out, wrinkling his nose and stepping back from the fumes. I kicked him, taking special care to cause the right amount of pain.

I really am a terrible person.

"How many people?" I urged, ignoring Aiden as he hopped from one foot to the other.

"_Bloody effing –" _he swiftly cut off as Professor Slughorn glared at Aiden. He broke into angry mutters, sitting on his own stool and rubbing his leg.

"You should've seen it coming," I told him, smirking. "You've been bugging me for weeks. Now tell me who knows before I kick you again."

"Merlin, Soph," he groaned. "I'm sure _everyone_ knows except for him."

I made a sort of strangled noise before dropping my head onto the desk. "Wonderful," I moaned unhappily.

"You made it obvious," Aiden said, standing up and gingerly putting weight on his leg. "That part wasn't my fault, was it?"

"It's all your fault!" erupted a shrill voice behind his. My ears perked up to the sound of Rose's disgruntled voice.

"How is _my _fault?" Scorpius voice had countered, sounding offended.

"It's _always_ your fault, isn't it?" Rose insisted. She seemed strong, but I knew better; when Rose is unreasonable or irrational, she's upset.

And Scorpius wasn't helping.

"Has it ever occurred to you that you might be _overreacting_?" Scorpius asked in a mockingly serious tone, temper rising rapidly. "I added an extra root – it was an _accident._"

"I never know if it's an accident or not with you. Your _accident_ ruined the entire potion," Rose pointed out, just as fiercely. "I don't overreact, Malfoy."

"The hell you don't, _Weasley,_" he spat. "Maybe you're afraid." I had a feeling they weren't talking about the potion anymore.

I was sure half the class was listening in on their conversation curiously; Aiden and I certainly had spun around, mouths wide open.

Entertainment, anyone?

"Afraid of _what_, exactly?" Rose asked sharply.

"Afraid of rejection. Getting hurt." He took a deep breath, continuing to speak in a low voice. "Afraid of whatever it makes you _feel_, Rose. You're afraid when you're not in control."

Merlin, they're dramatic – _wait a minute._

It hit me like freight train. Was _this _why my boggart took its shape? Was I afraid of the butterflies, heart pounding and sweaty palms? He was my worst fear because he had made me feel so much.

The strangest part was that I hadn't felt those in a while.

If Al caught my revelation, or figured it out himself, he didn't show it. He, like the rest of the class, was fixated on the spat between Rose and Scorpius. Even Slughorn's attention was diverted, not bothering to stop the argument.

The old bum must love gossip. Typical.

Did he pair them together on purpose?

"I'm not afraid of you, Malfoy," Rose disagreed, the blush lighting the tips of her ears. "Why would I be afraid of a git like you?"

"Because you're afraid of taking risks. Every time you're confronted with something, you need to back out or hold onto something else!"

"We were _friends_, Scorpius!" Rose shouted, her voice breaking at his name. "I thought we were just friends, not –"

"Don't give me that," he replied bitterly. "We were never just friends_. _Even _you _aren't that oblivious."

"What's that supposed to mean?" she cried, her expression crumpling.

Oh no.

You know she's_ really_ upset when she starts showing emotion. Rose Weasley is stronger than anyone I know; I didn't clue in on how hurt she'd really gotten because of her mess with Scorpius.

Because she loved him. No matter how much she protested, it wasn't love until your heart broke into a thousand pieces. Rose didn't like to go into anything quickly. She needed to analyze the situation to know exactly what was going on before actually doing it. It was downside when she played Quidditch – but even on the pitch, she abandoned that fear.

Rose is almost always correct – in schoolwork, Quidditch plays and life in general. But here, Scorpius was making a whole lot more sense; Rose _was _overreacting.

Sure, he'd locked her in a broom closet with him – but she wasn't claustrophobic. She wasn't afraid of the dark. She, like me, is afraid of the gut-wrenching feeling usually known as love.

She channelled that into anger.

And with Scorpius… she didn't want to be hurt. Unfortunately, she didn't realize that by avoiding pain, she would just feel more. _He _would feel more. Scorpius would feel resentful.

So resentful, in fact, he was about to say some things I know he would've regretted. Rose doesn't forgive easily, and anger made him forget that.

"You want to know what it means?" he taunted, actually shaking now. Rose's eyes were on fire.

I looked around desperately, looking for something to distract them, to get them to stop. My eyes fell on our forgotten, half-finished potion.

Our highly _toxic _potion.

"Go on, Malfoy," Rose said clearly, speaking as if she could handle the guy she loves stabbing a knife at the most sensitive part of her personality. "Say it."

Shitshitshitshit_shit._

"It means you deny the truth with your blatant self-righteousness, and frankly, I don't know if you're worth it anymore!"

That would've broke her.

Rose wasn't a crier, and she would've cried.

Fortunately for her, she never heard it.

Unfortunately for me, it was my scream that drowned out Scorpius' words. It was my scream from when I dumped the cauldron full of harmful potion on myself.

And oh _Merlin, _it hurt.

It splashed over my abdomen, seeping and burning through my clothes and cutting into my skin. I couldn't feel, it was more painful than fear, more painful than the humiliation I was also feeling – more painful that love. It was, simultaneously, numbness within fire.

Slughorn seemed to have been snapped out of his trance at my bloodcurdling scream. He immediately wobbled over and siphoned most of the potion off my skin. My cheeks burned, but not from the potion; it was from being sprawled across the floor, shirt ripped in places, stupidly having spilled a potion on myself for her best friend. It was from humiliation.

Why me?

At least Slughorn had gotten over his fear of conflict. Back in the day, Al's dad had to save his best friend from a poisoning while Slughorn _spluttered._

We _may _or may not have strayed to this topic during tutoring.

"Hospital Wing," Slughorn said firmly, twiddling his white moustache in nervous habit. "Miss Weasley, would you escort her there?"

That's the last thing I heard before I fainted.

"I'm _sorry, _Rose," I repeated tiredly after she placed my hovering stretcher on a clean bed in the infirmary. I had woken up halfway through Rose's journey. "Honestly, it was more embarrassing than anything."

Let's _not _tell her about the pain, okay?

Thanks.

"You were hurt," she got out through tightly pursed lips. "The entire class is a witness."

Err… never mind.

"Yeah, well…" I mumbled unintelligently until Madame Pomfrey blustered up, fretting and bringing treatments. After ten reassurances that I wasn't dizzy, half a dozen potions scalding my throat and a scolding for being clumsy, she told me to spend two nights and left. I breathed a sigh of relief and turned back to Rose, who was sitting in a chair beside my bed and tapping her foot.

"You," I told her weakly, feeling drained. "Talk."

"About what?"

"You _know _what."

"Alright." She leaned forward, placing her elbows on the bed. "You really should stop being so accident prone. I swear, Luke and Al and the rest of them are paler than your bed sheets right now."

It wasn't an accident, but okay.

I rubbed my temples and sighed, not wanting to think about Al and what he was going to tell me. "Scorpius."

"What about him?" she asked, diverting her eyes.

"You fancy him." She shrugged.

"Nothing new about that."

"You want him." She narrowed her eyes, but I didn't let her interrupt. "You don't care about the broom closet anymore. You, my friend, are afraid."

"I'm not afraid of him," she muttered, keeping her eyes down and twiddling with her fingers.

"No, and he didn't say you were," I clarified calmly. "You're afraid of how he makes you feel. I know what it means, Rose," I added glumly, looking down at my own hands. "I think it's why Al's my boggart."

Rose didn't look up. "He's right," she admitted softly.

"You – wait, _what_?"

"Everything he said," she continued, closing her eyes. "I'm not worth it."

Bollocks, she'd heard it anyway.

…then what am I doing in the Hospital Wing? What did I spill a potion on myself for?

"Rose, he didn't mean to say that," I said quickly, hoping there was some way to salvage the situation. "He wouldn't have bothered if he believed it."

"But it's true," she said in an oddly calm voice. "I don't know why he bothers."

"Because he loves you, Rose," I said desperately, not knowing at all if it were true. "Look, he'll talk to you, and it'll all work out –"

But I cut off. Why, might you ask?

Because I saw something glistening as it trailed slowly down her pale cheeks. And that, my friends, hurt more than any potion eating through my skin.

(Please ignore that blatant lie.)

My heart ached as my best friend crawled on top of my blankets and buried her face in my shoulder. "I lied to you, Soph," she said, her voice muffled. "I was in denial; I don't know anything about love. I don't know what you feel for my cousin."

Funnily enough, neither did I. Where did the butterflies go?

I patted her back comfortingly. "Don't worry, none of us know what love is." We throw around the word, but in truth, we're too young to know.

But one day, we'll figure it out.

"Like your brother," Rose said, smiling slightly and pulling away from me. "Luke told me this morning he wanted to ask out Vanessa tomorrow." I groaned, making Rose let out a sad chuckle.

I bloody well hope Luke figures out he's not actually in love with Vanessa.

And soon.


	10. Confessions Luke's POV

_May 20_

_This is the day. _

This is the day I tell the beautiful, amazing Vanessa Brown how I feel about her.

Bloody hell, I think I'm going to throw up.

"You can do it," Soph encouraged dully, looking as though she would love to see me give up. I won't, though; I'm going to march up to the love of my life, face my fears and ask her the second question I've wanted to ask since I met her.

I'll pop the first question a few years from now, when I have money.

"Of course I can," I said, faking cheerfulness. "What kind of bloke do you think I am?"

"One that's about to throw up."

She knows me too well. It's a downside to being twins.

"She'll say yes, you know," Al said, stinking his feet on Sophia's bed and stretching on his chair. "She'll say yes to anyone for a snog."

"But it'll be different with her," I insisted stubbornly. "It'll be the longest relationship she'll ever have." Al and Soph took one, bewildered look at each other before bursting into laughter.

Thanks a lot, guys.

"I'm glad to see you've got so much confidence in me," I deadpanned.

"It's just Vanessa Brown," Soph chortled. "I've shared a dormitory with her for seven years. She's not interested in a real relationship."

I ignored her, narrowing my eyes at Al, who was still laughing. "Al, why are you even here?"

"Tutoring," he said with a raised eyebrow, holding up his textbook that was placed in his lap. "We have NEWTS in five days, remember?"

"Oi," Soph noticed suddenly, wearing a scowl directed at Al. "Get your feet off my bed."

"Pomfrey doesn't care about anything unless it's painful."

"_I_care!"

"_Why_?"

"Because I have to sleep here for one more night, and who knows where your shoes have been."

"Hey," Al stated defensively, looking offended. "What's that supposed to mean?"

"It _means_you spend a lot of time on a muddy Quidditch pitch," she clarified, crossing her arms and glaring at him.

"I use different shoes for that."

"What's your point?"

"Shut up, guys, you sound like an old married couple," I stated indignantly, becoming very frustrated at the lack of attention towards me. They simultaneously shut their mouths to glare daggers in my direction, faces heating up.

Ha. Suckers.

"Maybe if you'd just tell me what's going on, I wouldn't be so annoyed," Sophia muttered, her eyes flickering back and forth between Al and her hands.

I raised an eyebrow. Am I missing something?

"I don't know what you're talking about," he dismissed, eyes falling back onto his forgotten book. Sophia let out a frustrated groan, not bothering to hide how unsettled she was.

Okay, I'm definitely missing something.

"What's going on?" I demanded, looking between the two.

"He –"

"Haven't a clue," he said loudly, shooting her a look.

"It's obviously bothering you, so just spit it out!" she exclaimed, throwing her hands up.

Spit _what_out?

"She's mental, mate," Al informed me, his grin not quite reaching his eyes as he slapped a hand to my shoulder. "But that's not important."

"Al, you're such a –"

"This is Luke's big day!" he shouted, successfully drowning out Soph's voice. "He's going to ask out Vanessa Brown, yes?"

Fear shot through the put of my stomach, but I grinned back at him. "Damn right," I announced, rubbing my hands together to hide my sweaty palms. "It's her lucky day."

"You're such an idiot, Luke."

"Modest, too."

"Shut up," I told them once again. To my surprise, they fell silent. I felt my awkward silence alert go off as they avoided each other's eyes.

My awkward silence alert is very useful, thanks.

"_What _is going on with you guys today?" I asked again. Al glanced at Sophia and shook his head, leaving the textbook on her bed before leaving the room. I looked back to her as she fell onto her pillows.

"Don't worry about it, Luke," she muttered. "Vanessa's usually on the third floor bathroom after lunch.

My eyebrows shot up into my fringe. "Why?"

Soph let out a bored sigh. "She likes looking at herself. And putting on makeup ten times a day."

Eh, as long as she looks hot.

"Right, thanks," I said gratefully, standing up. I paused. "What's going on with you and Al?"

She closed her eyes. "Hell if I know."

"Soph."

"I'm serious." She cracked open an eyelid. I noticed how sad she looked. "He won't tell me. Maybe he'll tell you."

I laughed. "Doubt it," I said, sitting back down on her bed. "He's been avoiding me for weeks."

Her forehead wrinkled in surprise. "Really?"

"Yeah," I shrugged. "Dunno why. He's been weird lately."

"_I'll_say," she muttered looking exhausted and miserable. I reached over and gave my sister a long hug; she looked as though she really needed it.

"You know, I'm really proud of you," she mumbled against my shirt. I gave her a questioning look. "I mean, you're following your dream."

I smiled. "Puddlemere, here I come. Just like Dad."

"Just like Dad," she echoed, closing her eyes again. "I really want to be a healer. I hope I get my chance, like you did."

"You will," I told her honestly. "You're the most determined person I know."

"Not enough," she mumbled, more to herself than me. I gave her one last reassuring squeeze and thought of what I was about to do. A wave of nausea overcame my senses.

Oh no, not _again_.

At least I'm in a Hospital Wing, I guess.

"You'll be fine," she said, looking a little amused through her tired gaze. "Just compliment her a lot. Don't beat around the bush. Say your words slowly and clearly."

"Got it, thanks," I said, standing up to leave.

"Oh, and don't throw up on her!"

Vanessa frowned, making me internally moan as her dimples disappeared. "It's Woody, right?"

"No, it's Luke Wood."

"Are you sure?"

"Pretty sure, as it's _my_name."

Her beautiful face broke into a smile. "You're funny," she giggled.

I scratched my head. I hadn't cracked a joke yet, had I? "I am?"

"Definitely," she said in a serious tone, nodding and leaning closer to me. I felt a little weak-kneed, so I pressed a hand against the wall of the corridor.

Much better. Now I won't faint!

… don't tell the guys.

"So, you're the Quidditch Captain, huh?" she asked in a low voice, staring at me through her eyelashes. I swallowed deeply before answering.

"Um, yeah," I said distractedly, hoping to Merlin I was still coherent. "Do – do you like Quidditch?"

Was it just me, or was she getting closer?

"I love Quidditch," she breathed, batting her eyelashes at me. I could see the tiny freckles splattering her nose. "I don't know why I've never noticed you before."

(Probably because I was too afraid to speak to her.)

"Be – before?"

"Yeah," she said slowly, flashing a small smile. "So, there was something you wanted to ask me?" She began to play with my collar, her fingers lingering near the buttons.

Holy _shit_.

"I – I – I wanted to ask…" I swallowed again. "If you maybe want to go out –"

I tried to finish - honest I did. I had every intention of completing that sentence in a way that would let her know what I wanted.

But she rather launched herself at me, didn't she?

One second, she was fiddling with my collar, batting her eyelashes and letting her breath tickle my lips. The next moment, she had tightened her grip on my shirt, pulled me forward, pressed her body up against mine and kissed me.

Did you really expect me to_ refuse_that?

Her lips moved against mine feverishly, making something in me roar with approval. Everything seemed to heat to abnormally high degrees as I let go of the wall and pushed her against it, my hands moving through her hair.

And as my luck would have it, Sophia's voice chose_ that moment_to pop into my head.

_'You're an idiot, Luke.'_

I broke from her lips for a moment, gasping for breath. Vanessa impatiently pulled me back, and my thoughts melted as she deepened the kiss.

_'She'll say yes to anyone for a snog.'_

Sod off, Al.

I pulled away again, breathing deeply. She tried to lean back in, but I kept her pressed against the wall. Her eyes snapped open.

"Is something wrong?"

"No," I replied quickly, shaking my head and stepping back from her. "I was just wondering if we could talk."

"About what?"

"Well, I wanted to ask you out," I said hopefully, looking down at her. She leaned forward; I didn't stop her as she pressed her lips against mine. The blood rushed to my head.

_She said yes!_

"Does that answer your question?" she murmured against my lips. I nodded and was lost in ecstasy as we began snogging again.

_'But it'll be different with her.'_

I leaned back and screwed my eyes shut. Bloody hell, I'm hearing my _own_voice, now!

"Let's talk," I insisted, reluctantly dodging her lips. Her eyes opened slowly, and I saw frustration in them.

"About _what_?" she snapped, trying to lean her lower body closer to mine in attempts to convince me. I stepped back.

"Things," I said, taking her hand and dragging her to a bench. She pouted as we sat. "How's your hair after it caught fire?"

Her hands jumped to her head. "How'd you know about that?"

"I was there." Her eyes widened, making her look doe-eyed.

"That was _you_?" she accused harshly, poking me in the chest.

I choked. "'Course not," I corrected hastily. "You like Quidditch, right?" I asked quickly, hoping desperately to distract her. She brightened, immediately gushing.

"Love it," she replied. "I get to wear the _cutest_outfit, and –"

"But doesn't it bug you?" I asked quickly before she began a rant on clothes. "They always kick you out of the games."

"Oh, that's fine," she dismissed, waving a hand. "I don't really like Quidditch anyway. So, are we done talking?"

I barely noticed as she crawled onto my lap. "You don't like_ Quidditch_?" I asked, dumbfounded.

"Can't stand the sport," she whispered into my ear before capturing my lips with hers. I didn't move, still thunderstruck.

Suddenly, Vanessa was looking a lot less attractive than a minute ago.

"I don't think this going to work," I said after I pushed her off my lap. She pouted again.

"Why not?"

"Can't do it," I said firmly, standing up. "Sorry." She shrugged, looking unconcerned.

"Alright," she replied. "Think your friend is up for anything?"

"Which one?" I asked, narrowing my eyes.

"The one that's not taken, duh," she stated, standing up and flicking hair over her shoulder. "Albus Potter."

I snorted and walked away.

"So, how was she?" Al asked as I strolled into the dormitory. I looked around.

"Where'd Scorp and Aiden go?"

"Still eating dinner," he replied, propping myself up on his elbows to look at me as I collapsed onto my bed. "I already ate. So how was Vanessa?"

"What do you mean?"

"Good or bad snog?"

I flipped over to look at him. "How'd you figure it out? Did she leave lip gunk on me?"

He squinted his eyes, then laughed. "Well, yeah – but it was predictable." I rolled my eyes.

"Screw you."

"So you're dating now?" he asked, ignoring my insult. I shook my head.

"Nah, she doesn't like Quidditch. Pass me the sport section, will you?" Al tossed it my way, flipping a page of the _Daily Prophet_with a small nod.

I can always count on him to understand.

"She's interested in you, mate," I told him suddenly, glancing at him again. He snorted in amusement.

"She's interested in any male with lips."

I laughed, fully appreciating that joke for the first time. I turned a page of the newspaper. "So you're not hooking up with her, then?"

"Definitely not."

"Good, 'cause my sister's bloody well in love with you, isn't she?" I flipped over the paper.

Oh, look, Gwenog Jones is finally retiring.

Wait, did I just…

"She's… _what_?" he spluttered, his eyes wide and mouth dropped open.

Oops.

"I – I mean –"

"You're joking, right?" he asked fiercely, practically pleading with me. "You've got to be bloody kidding me."

"I didn't mean to tell you," I got out, feeling guilt plunge into my innards and squeezing tight. "It was supposed to be Soph –"

"Shit," he mumbled, dropping his face into his hands, fingers reaching underneath his glasses. "Shit, shit, _shit_."

"Oi, it's not that bad!" I said indignantly, trying to stick up for my sister. "She may drool in her sleep, and tends to ramble in her head, but she loves watching Quidditch and she's sort of pretty in her own way –"

"She's_ really _angry with me," he muttered, rubbing his eyes. "Can't even tutor her without arguing…"

I raised an eyebrow. "What does that have to do with anything?"

He gave me a look. "Why didn't you tell me?"

"Why should I have?" I asked sceptically. Al, what the hell is going on?"

He let out a frustrated groan. "Luke, I've liked your sister since second year!"

Whoa.

Hang on a second.

"You like Sophia?" I choked out weakly. His forehead creased in confusion.

"You mean you didn't know?"

"Of course not!" I snapped irritably. "I thought you were leading her on! That's why I told you to leave her alone!"

He looked scandalized. "I wouldn't do that."

"Apparently not," I muttered, gripping the newspaper roughly around the edges. Then my head shot up.

"You like my sister."

"I believe I just said that," he answered absent-mindedly.

"My _sister_."

"Yeah – OI!"

I had leapt across the room and pounced, hitting him everywhere I could reach.

"WHAT'S YOUR PROBLEM?" he bellowed as Scorpius and Aiden entered. They scrambled into action immediately, also jumping onto Al's bed and holding me back.

"You hurt my sister and I'll break your wand," I growled viscously, trying to shake my friends off. Al began to protest.

"You can't just –"

"The _other_one," I clarified as menacingly as I could. He scooted away off the bed, no doubt to protect himself.

"What's going on?" Scorpius demanded, hopping off the bed and glaring at us. "Al, you're not planning on hurting Soph, are you?"

"No, he fancies her and forgot to mention it," I spat, shoving myself away from Aiden and crossing my arms. "It was really quite convenient."

"You like Soph?" Aiden asked, dumbfounded.

"Evidently," Scorpius pointed out, trying not to laugh.

"Well, that's good then!" Aiden stated cheerfully. "She fancies the pants off Al, right?"

I clenched my fists. "There will be no undressing, will there?" I turned to give Al the most menacing glare I could muster, but his entire expression had changed.

Was it just me, or was the bloke glowing?

"She fancies me," he said dumbly, staring at a blank spot on the wall. "Sophia _fancies_me."

"It was kind of obvious, mate," Aiden pointed out. Al took one last look at us and walked out of the dormitory, hands shoved in his pockets and the goofiest smile I had ever seen plastered across his face.

"He's got it bad," Scorpius said, shaking his head in disbelief.

"He'd better." I turned to see Aiden looking at me with the most peculiar expression on his face. "What?"

"So," he began, smirking mischievously. "On a scale of one to ten, how was Vanessa?"


	11. Sponge Love

**Chapter Eleven: Sponge Love**

_May 21_

"You will be cleaning the floor of the Great Hall –"

"Really? You couldn't think of anything else?"

"It was either this or detention in the Forest," Filch retorted, making me scowl. Though I really would hate to go into the Forest…

Ugh. Cleaning it is, then.

"So we get…"

"Sponges." He threw the two large, yellow sponges at us and gestured to a large, yellow bucket before stumbling off, grumbling under his breath irritably. "Hooligans committed such sins and expect to get off so easily… I think _not_…" I stuck my tongue at his back as he shut the doors behind him.

Don't look at me like that. I'm exhausted.

Laughter erupted from Albus at my actions; I couldn't stop the smile from spreading across my face, so I stuck my tongue in his direction.

"Mature," he commented cheerfully.

"Shut up." I slumped over towards the small, self-refilling bucket in the middle of the room. "I can't think right now."

Of course it's not because Al's in the room. Whatever gave you _that_idea?

"Why not?" he asked, following me. "It's Saturday."

I dipped the sponge in the water, watching it soak in the soapy bubbles. "I've been studying all day."

"Really? Whatever for?"

I rolled my eyes at his sarcasm and squeezed the water out of the sponge. "NEWT's are this week, Al."

"No big deal," he answered nonchalantly, pushing his own sponge through the water as I stepped back, searching the room for where to begin. "I haven't started studying."

I looked to him wearily. "You're joking, right?"

"'Course," he answered happily, squeezing the sponge and standing. "So, where should we start?"

I narrowed my eyes, no longer looking around the Hall. "What's wrong with you?"

"What?"

"Why are you so happy?" I demanded, placing my hand on my hip and searching his expression. He shrugged, not quite meeting my eyes.

"Detention really perks me up."

I rolled my eyes, trying not to laugh. I'm angry with him. Can't forget this fact, this big, _insignificant_–

Ack. I really am hopeless, aren't I?

My eyes went back to search the large hall. The four house tables had been pushed against the wall, providing more space for us to clean the floors. Without magic.

Filch must've had a history of giving detentions to cheating students. He took our wands.

"So, where should we start?" Al asked again, still in that cheery voice.

"Right here," I said, making the split second decision and plopping down onto my knees. Al dropped close beside me and began whistling merrily.

_Tweet. Tweet. Tweet._

Merlin, that's _annoying_.

I tried to ignore it at first. I sent him an (ignored) withering glare and went back to scrubbing the dirty floor. I discovered the unfortunate fact that when it rains, there is quite a bit of mud. Students happen to leave this mud all over the floor.

_Tweet. Tweet. Tweet._

And there's Al, whistling away and making my mood go from bad to worse.

Lovely.

The high-pitched and out-of-tune noises reached my ears, and I wished desperately for ear plugs. Or a silencing spell.

_Tweet. Tweet. Tweet._

Merlin, that isn't even a song!

_Tweet. Tweet. Tweet._

I was working on a particular piece of crusty mud (or was it Hippogriff dung?) when I finally snapped.

"Will you _shut up_?"

He frowned, but quit the incessant whistling. "What's wrong?"

"Listen," I said through gritted teeth, still kneeling over the mud. "I have a headache. I'm tired. I don't want detention. My knees are soaked with what I'm hoping to Merlin isn't shit, so will you please just –" I broke off into mutters. This only seemed to amuse him; he chuckled.

Why is he so _happy_?

And suddenly, I was met with arms wrapping awkwardly around my waist and pulling me into him. "I'm sorry," he said sincerely, "you should've just told me."

I stared at him for a moment before squeezing him back, feeling a slight tingling on my waist were his arms lay.

This kid's in a weird mood.

"It's alright," I said dully, reluctantly pulling away from him. "I'll make sure to next time."

"It's just _really_quiet, Soph!" he protested. "You're mad at me, so we can't exactly talk, can we?" I tried not to stare into his pleading eyes.

Damn, I really need to develop immunity to those bright, green, _wondrous_orbs –

I am angry. _Very_angry.

Okay, let's face it: he just hugged me. How can I be angry?

"Alright," I said grudgingly, squeezing water out of the sponge and breaking the crusty mud off the floor. I rubbed the piece and dipped the sponge into the bucket. "What do you want to talk about?"

He followed suit, not noticing his hand on top of mine in the water. My heartbeat quickened, and I scolded myself. "You hate the Forest, do you?"

I eased my hand from the bucket and placed the sponge on the floor again. "I've never been in there."

"It's not so bad, actually –"

"You went?" I asked in disbelief, turning to look at him. "We're not allowed!"

"Doesn't matter," he answered confidently, waving a hand and pushing mud around the floor before picking it up. "It's kind of cool – the sense of adventure is the best part."

"Hence, the Bucket List."

He laughed and repeated my words. "Hence, the Bucket List. You know we're drinking in Hogsmeade tomorrow, right?"

"Yeah," I said unwillingly, wiping my brow. "Still the stupidest thing on the List."

"Hey, I came up with that one!"

"Drinking?" I asked with a raised eyebrow. "Or sneaking into Hogsmeade?"

"Both," he answered, grinning. "James told me tons of stories, and I wanted to try it out."

I pushed blonde strands of hair out of my eyes. "Have you ever been drunk before?" When he nodded, my face fell. "I haven't."

"You tend to get a little stupid," he said wisely, the corners of his lips threatening to curve upwards. He squeezed his sponge over the bucket and plunged it in again. I gave a reluctant smile.

"I'd worked that out for myself, thanks."

"You asked." His grin burst into his lips, stretching so wide I thought his face would explode. "I can't wait to see you drunk. I bet you'll be hilarious."

I childishly stuck my tongue at him again. Who cares if he thinks if I'm five years old? It's not as if he'll notice me in any way.

And I'm mad at him. Who forgot? I didn't.

Ugh, I'm so bad at this.

"I'll be an embarrassing drunk," I told him, unable to stop myself from matching his grin. "Just wait. I'll probably tell you my entire life story."

His face contorted into a fake grimace. "You mean you're going to ramble about nothing again?"

"Hey," I protested feebly, "I'm plenty interesting –"

"Because you're a _great_judge of character."

"– and I do _not_ramble," I insisted, as though I hadn't heard him. He burst into laughter.

I wasn't lying!

Okay, maybe a little.

"You ramble all the time!"

"I do not!" I disagreed, blushing a burning shade of red.

"Yes, you really do," he said with finality. "Luke says you ramble and drool in your sleep –"

"Okay, I definitely do _not_drool –"

"– and it's rather adorable when you do." I paused at his words, feeling my face heat to degrees I hadn't thought possible.

If you thought I was blushing _before_…

I hid my cheeks with my hair and, without thinking, threw my sponge at him.

At his _face_.

He spluttered in surprise, spitting onto the floor. My jaw dropped indignantly.

"Hey, I just cleaned there!"

"You threw a dirty sponge at me!" he explained, holding two sponges and unconsciously squeezing them. "What for?"

I deliberately avoided the question and crossed my arms. "You'd better clean up where you just spit." He narrowed his eyes and moved behind me, plunging the sponges into the bucket. Before I knew it, he had squeezed them on top of my hair.

"Al!" I grabbed the bucket from beside me and emptied to contents on his head, splashing myself in the process. I put the bucket upright onto the floor as it refilled itself. I giggled and shivered as I felt the cold water trickle down my back.

Thank Merlin I'm not wearing a white shirt this time.

… but _he_is.

Crap – _don't look don't look don't look!_

I saw his grin of mischief before he lunged at me, clearly looking for revenge. In a flash, something cold and wet had covered my lips.

That little _bastard_.

"Al, get off!" I mumbled, trying and failing to push the sponges away from my mouth, feeling a strong urge to spit – except I really couldn't. He wouldn't move.

"Sorry." His voice was full of laughter, laced with a trace of sincerity. "This is payback."

"_Please_, Al."

"Don't think so!" he sang happily. I pushed roughly on his hands, enjoying the tingling feel of them, but he wouldn't budge.

Does testosterone make guys super strong or something? I can't even wrestle my _brother_anymore; I miss those times when I used to win.

I won fair and square, okay?

I pushed harder on his hands, wrinkling my nose at the nasty smell that was unfortunately being permitted entry through my nostrils. The harder I pushed, the harder he pushed back – until the sponges went slipping from my mouth and into the air, which meant that Al fell forward from his kneeling position and on top of me.

I sense of déjà vu situation coming on from a certain part once upon a time.

But whatever, I can barely think in this position.

Al must've barely noticed he fell on top me, because he could barely breath for laughing. I gasped for breath as soon as the sponges left my lips, feeling my back hit the floor and his knees straddling my sides. His green eyes glittered.

"You win," I breathed, watching his chest moving through his soaked t-shirt. _Don't let that imagination of yours wander_–

"Giving up so easily?" he asked with a smirk.

"Too tired to wrestle," I said with a weak smile. Then I felt my heart drive into overload.

Al's straddling me.

His face his really close to mine.

He's laughing.

He's not moving.

_I'm angry with him._

I felt an unpleasant lurch of reality in my stomach as the thought filtered through my mind. Al, still laughing, reached over and grabbed the sponge that had fallen beside us and pressed it into my hand.

"Let's call it a tie," he suggested. I accepted the sponge, my brain fuzzy and eyes not focusing properly. He was now staring at my falling smile, waiting for an answer.

I'm supposed to be angry at him. I can just give in; I'm a strong, independent person for Merlin's sake. I'm not going to melt or turn into jelly at Al's smile once again.

No matter how close he is, or how much I'd like to.

"Get off," I commanded suddenly, everything becoming crystal clear in my mind. He looked confused, his smile fading from his eyes.

"What's wrong?"

"Get off," I repeated struggling against his weight. Stupid muscles. "Just get off of me."

He didn't move, but his face fell. "You're angry again."

"Albus –"

"Merlin, Soph, what did I do?" he demanded fiercely, eyes blazing. I swallowed deeply.

"You _know_what."

"Soph –"

"Why would you bring it up like that if you didn't want to tell me?" He paled slightly, unconsciously gripping at my waist.

"I had a reason."

"Yeah? What's that?" I attempted to wiggle out from underneath him, but his fingers threaded in between mine. His other hand pressed my arm against the floor.

To put it bluntly, I was trapped.

Trapped by Albus Potter.

At any other time but now, I would be blissfully happy – _but he has to tell me_. He did something awful. I can't just that go, can I?

"I really…" he trailed off, looking desperately in my eyes. "I hadn't planned on telling you, I – Soph," he added suddenly, "did you talk to Luke?"

I blinked in confusion. "Luke?"

"Yeah."

"I did," I answered, feeling caught off guard, "about Vanessa. But what does that have to do with –"

"Sophia," he interrupted, taking both my hands and squeezing them. "You just have to trust me." I ripped away from him, lifting my body again in attempts to get out. This time, he obliged.

"I can't, Al," I said softly and tiredly, my heart sinking at his desperate expression. I turned away, intention of working for the next few hours in silence.

Because I _couldn't _let it go.

The last thing I wanted was for Al to lie to me.


	12. Drunken Giggles Al's POV

**Chapter Twelve: Drunken Giggles (Al's POV)**

_May 22_

They say you drink to forget.

I'd say it's dependent on who you are. I've never gotten drunk to forget; it was all good fun and never about escaping the shit we had going on. And perhaps that was because our lives were drama-free, for the most part; good grades, Quidditch – what more could I ask for, really?

Sophia.

Don't tell the guys, but I like her so much, it almost hurts.

Shut up – just because I'm male, it doesn't mean I don't have a heart.

(Seriously. Don't tell the guys.)

When I found out she was in _love _with me (Merlin, saying that never gets old), I just… lost it. In a good way. I was practically euphoric, because after _all this time…_ she felt the same.

But the worst part? I was counting on the opposite.

Confession? At that bloody party, when I was about to tell Sophia what I did? It was a… spur-of-the-moment sort of thing. Truth is, I'd gotten so frustrated by that night by the fact that she _just wasn't interested,_ I was going to tell her what I did, apologize, snog her into oblivion and live the rest of my life in misery if she didn't respond.

I hate Filch with every fibre of my being.

Don't worry, I hexed his cat ages ago.

(He deserved it, okay?)

But you know what? I can't follow through with any sort of impulse anymore, because she _cares_ – and honestly, I can't just do that to someone. The only reason I haven't asked her out is because I don't want a relationship of secrets. I don't want to break up along the line for something this _stupid._ In fact, I never want to break up.

But then again, we still had to get _together._

And I'm going to fix this, I swear I will. After all, she already hates me. What have I got to lose?

* * *

Soph, we're _drinking _tonight," I emphasized between drills. "What spell do you use when encountering a Dementor?"

"I know we are," she answered, crinkling her eyebrows in a way that was too adorable for her own good. "Patronus Charm."

"Right," I said, putting down the flashcard (it had begun spouting confetti at Soph's correct answer). "So we should have each other's backs."

She reached around her for a pillow and hugged it close in her arms, leaning back in her armchair. "I won't get too drunk."

"You've never had alcohol. You won't know your limit."

"Are you telling me you're planning on getting wasted tonight?" I looked down at the cards, not wanting to answer.

_Drink to forget._

Forget those stupid things I've said, and done.

"Perhaps," I admitted, my voice rather strained with indecision. "So we really should make up. Please?" I added with a hopeful smile.

A fleeting grin broke onto her face, and my insides erupted in cheers. As soon as it came, however, it disappeared. "Al, do you know why I'm so angry with you?"

"I – sort of," I admitted guiltily. "But sometimes a bloke just has to keep things to himself, you know?"

She let out a frustrated sigh. "Imagine for a moment, if you will, that your tutor has just come up to you and says he's done something awful – like he's got a dead body in his dormitory or something." I couldn't help it. The idea was just so preposterous, and I had to laugh.

"Soph, that's not it –"

"But _then_," she continued, as if she hadn't heard me, "he tells you that this supposedly horrible occurrence affects _you_ in some way, and before you know it, Filch shows up."

"That wasn't _my_ fault –"

"But it wouldn't have been so bad, yeah?" she asked sarcastically, now clutching tightly at the red pillow as her voice rose. I was kind of glad the Common Room was empty. "I mean, he'd just tell you later, right? Except when you ask what's got him so _desperately_ worried, he snubs you."

I felt the guilty pang in my chest. "I didn't mean to –"

"Except you _did_!" she exploded, looking worried beyond belief. "And I only wanted to help, but you hadn't plucked up the courage to tell me again. You shouldn't have brought it up in the first place."

I ran a hand through my hair. She was right. I don't want this mess.

"Look, I can't explain," I said, determined to earn her forgiveness in _some _way that didn't include telling her. "But Soph – we're drinking tonight."

"So?"

"It's not just… there are things that could happen when you're drunk. Poisoning. Drugs. Just," I looked in her eyes, pleading. "Just for tonight?"

"Tonight?"

"Let's be friends?" I offered. And it wasn't just a ploy for her forgiveness; I really did care about her. Even if Luke's there, if something happened to her, I'd feel as though it was my fault.

I have this weird… _thing_ where I always feel guilty. Even if it's not my fault.

Just look at this past month: I'd practically been _drowning _in guilt.

"Fine," she agreed, finally letting her guard down a little and hugging the pillow closer to her chest.

What I would do to be that pillow right now.

"Al?" My head snapped up.

"Yeah?"

"My List is nearly finished." My eyes practically popped out of my head.

Well, that's attractive. No wonder she likes me.

"After tonight, all that's left is the prank." I cleared my throat, still shocked.

"I haven't finished anything but the first three," I confessed, completely gobsmacked. Damn, this List had been my idea in the first place! I'm being beaten by a _girl_ at my own game.

Not good.

"What are you planning to do to embarrass yourself?" she asked, trying to relieve the tension. I grinned, remembering the plan the guys and I had come up with.

No, really. It's pretty epic. And public.

I'm actually hoping Soph is there, so I can see her laugh again.

Merlin, I'm pathetic.

"So, are you still angry with me?" I asked cheerfully, avoiding her question. She seemed to accept this fact and went on to bite her lip, observing me carefully.

Shit. She shouldn't ever bite her lip in front of me. Ever.

"I guess not," she decided, her eyes sparkling. "Just for tonight."

YES THANK YOU MERLIN.

I felt indescribably happy at her words. I felt like picking her up and spinning around, because _finally,_ she was letting it go. Screw the 'just for tonight' – she's definitely not mad anymore.

She couldn't be.

"Do you want to go to Hogsmeade, then?" My words came out too quickly from my eagerness, but she didn't seem to notice. In fact, she'd decided to jump up from her armchair, glancing at the clock hanging on the wall and tossing her pillow onto a couch.

"You're right, we should go," she said, avoiding my eyes for some reason. "We wanted a bit of time, right?"

I nearly smacked myself. "No, I meant –" But before I could finish, she had fled from the room, heading up the stairs to speak to the guys.

Merlin, you try to ask a girl out, and _this _is what you get?

I need a drink.

* * *

"Scorp, you have to _stop_," I told him, shoving a cup of water against his lips. If there was anyone who drank to forget that night, it was the reckless, blonde-haired git who was in a stupor.

This is all Rose's fault, the excessive drinking. I'm going to knock some sense into her once I get out of this stupid pub we call the Hog's Head.

"Al, you've barely had any," he slurred, burping a little. "Everyone's been drinking but you!" I shoved more water down his throat, and some trickled down his chin.

I question what Rose sees in him, I really do.

"I'll drink eventually," I said, stealing another glance at Soph, who was sitting in between me and Luke (Aiden was sitting beside Scorpius) at the bar.

"Just tell her." My attention turned back to Scorpius.

"Tell her what?"

"That you fancy the pants off of her." As if on cue, Soph's head dropped onto my shoulder, and she was giggling like a loon.

"Not _now,_" I hissed, sliding my arm around her waist.

"Mate, we have _two weeks_ left," he said loudly, holding up four fingers. "How much time did you think we had?"

I faltered. "I'm sure I'll… I mean, it's not as if I'll never see her again –"

"Rose," he practically shouted, poking me in the arm, "wouldn't wait. She'd move on." His face fell, and he took another shot of firewhiskey. "So I told her."

I pushed the shot glass away from him. "And how did that work out for you?"

"At least I _did_ something," he pointed out, letting one last burp erupt from him before turning green and heading for the door.

Eh, I did tell him to stop.

"Al?" My gaze snapped to Sophia, who was no longer laughing. "I think you should tell – tell her," she continued with some difficulty.

"You do?"

"At least you'd be happy, right?" she said with an unmistakably sad tone in her voice, moving out from my arm around her. She took another shot, and I cringed from the miscommunication.

She thought we were talking about another girl.

_Drink to forget._

Without a second thought, I took my first shot of the night, feeling the buzzing sensation heightening my senses.

* * *

"We're locked out," I said, pulling at the handle and laughing when it wouldn't open. "Will you look at this?" Sophia gripped tighter onto my arm, nearly falling over.

"But – Luke's in there," she said, waving a stray hand and smiling. "And – and –"

"Aiden," Scorpius groaned, clutching his head. I laughed at him.

He's soooo drunk!

"They're not coming back to unlock the door," I said, the idea too preposterous to consider.

"They're too drunk. Like me!" Sophia spin on the spot, making her pretty hair fly in different directions. "I'm drunk, Al!"

Scorpius peered through the windows of Honeydukes. "We have to stay _here._ In this hellhole."

Soph stuck her tongue at him. "It's your fault we're stuck out here. You just _had_ to run outside and throw up!"

"I didn't ask you to come! You followed _me_!" he shouted, stumbling backwards.

"And I followed you," I whispered in Soph's ear, wrapping my arms around her from behind. She giggled like mad.

"What should we do now?" she asked happily. "I want to go to bed."

"With me?"

"Maybe."

"Shut _uuuuup_," Scorpius moaned loudly, staggering around with his hands stuffed in his ears. He tripped, and I burst into laughter.

He fell! Hahahahahaha!

"You know what?" I said abruptly, still letting out chuckles, "I know cave near here."

"Ohh… _thaaaat_ cave." Scorp crouched over and threw up again. I stuffed my face into Soph's hair to avoid the stench of barf.

Merlin, she smells so _good._ Like honey and firewhiskey.

"Let's go to a hotel or something," Soph suggested, leaning into my arms and sighing. "We need money." I spun her around, grinning widely.

"No more money!" I exclaimed, showing her the empty pockets of my shorts. She bit her lip.

Didn't I tell her not to do that? _Didn't I?_

I leaned in to kiss her, but she suddenly skipped off towards Scorpius, rubbing his back as he breathed deeply. He seemed to be crying.

Bloody hell, I've never seen him _cry _before.

"I want Rose!" he wailed, sobbing as Soph rubbed soothing circles into his back. I grabbed their hands and pulled both of them up.

Then I laughed. "You want my cousin," I teased, pointing my finger at Scorp.

Merlin, I'm a horrible friend.

* * *

The cave was up a hill. The hill was big. So maybe it was a mountain?

But I like holding hands with Soph. It feels nice.

"This takes so _loooong,_" Scorp said through the buzzing in my mind. He was stumbling in front of us, stopping every now and then to throw up.

Haha. Sucker.

_I _get to hold Soph's hand.

"Al, do you really want to be friends?" Soph asked happily, swinging my hand back and forth between us.

"Yeah!" I cheered, feeling light headed as we reached the entrance of the cave. Scorpius bounded in by himself, curling into a ball and immediately falling asleep.

"Look, Al!" Soph gasped, letting go of my hand. I pouted as she held up something brown. "A feather!"

"My hand is cold," I whined.

"But it's a _feather._" I took the feather from her and tried to inspect it.

Eh. Never mind.

"Al, I want the feather," she said cheerfully, taking it back.

"I want your hand."

"Okay!" She plopped down, grabbing my hand and pulling me so I was sitting against the cave wall. "I want to sleep _here._" I nodded and pulled her close to me so that she was leaning against my shoulder.

Ahh. Much better.

She was silent for a few minutes. "Would you still be my friend if I had purple skin?" she asked out of the blue, looking at me. I laughed, and she frowned.

Oh, she was serious.

"I'd be your friend even if your skin peeled off," I answered confidently, pressing my lips to the top of her head. She didn't notice.

"What if it was green?" she asked, snuggling into my side. "A bright, lime green."

Oh, _hell _no.

"Don't dye your hair green!" I slurred, my voice echoing off the walls. "I love your hair!"

She looked confused. "I didn't say I was going to dye my hair." She bit her too-red lips again. "Did I?"

"Did you?" I asked, running my hands through her hair and sighing at how soft it was. "I don't remember. Everything's spinning."

"I know!" she squealed, laughing. "It's awesome! I bet my hair's turning green because of it!" I checked, just to make sure it hadn't.

PHEW.

"But I don't want your hair to be green. It's sort of look like grass!"

"I _love_ grass!"

"ME TOO!" I exclaimed, and we collapsed in a fit of giggles.

(Mine were manly giggles. Obviously.)

"Maybe I _should_ dye my hair green," she said thoughtfully. "Would you be my friend if I did?"

My nose scrunched up by its own will. "Would you do it for me?" She propped herself up on her elbows and rested her chin on my chest.

"I'd do anything for you," she admitted quietly.

A wide, embarrassing grin stretched across my face. "In that case, of course I'd be your friend!"

"Good! I'd need one friend, wouldn't I?" She sat up and looked around. Then burst into tears.

My back shot up off the ground. "Are you _crying_?" I slurred, trying to focus on the wet tracks making their way down her cheeks. She shook her head. "What's wrong?"

"I don't have a pillow!"

My gaze softened and I took her cheeks in my hands, wiping her tears. "You can use me as a pillow, if you want."

"But then you wouldn't be able to sleep," she whispered, wide, silver eyes staring at me. "And you should."

I pressed my forehead against hers. "I don't mind." She nodded and I lay back down, her head resting on my chest.

And just as suddenly as before, she shot back up.

"No, I can't," she decided, wrapping her arms around herself. "I'm still mad at you." My jaw dropped.

"But Soph, you forgave me," I croaked, sitting back up. My head was spinning, and I couldn't think. "You _did._"

"It's not night anymore," she pointed out, "it's morning." I closed my eyes.

"So we're not friends anymore?"

"Al –"

"You'd never forgive me if you knew."

"But I… could never _stay_ angry," she said, her voice ringing in my ears. "Not at you."

"Soph –"

"Why is it about me?" she begged grabbing my hand. My head began to throb. "Tell me."

"It was selfish."

"Al."

"And awful."

"Albus."

"So selfish." I was shaking. I could feel it.

She took my hand. "Please."

The words tumbled from my mouth of their own will, blurring with the jumble that was my spinning and throbbing mind of drunkenness.

"You're not failing!"

She froze. My mouth kept moving.

Make it _stop._

"I changed your grade. I knew – I knew you were failing earlier in the year, so I changed it back. I knew," I said, closing my eyes again. "Teddy would've made me tutor you. It's why you didn't hear from any –" I swallowed. "Any schools."

She was biting her lip again, and all I could think about was kissing it.

So, _so_ selfish.

"I'm so sorry, Soph," I gasped out, shaking uncontrollably. I've never been known for telling the truth when I was drunk. Usually, I kept my mouth shut.

Sophia always turned my world off-kilter.

"Do you have _any_ idea what you did?" She whispered.

"I'm sorry."

"You put Teddy's job on the line."

"I know."

"You could've lost me my _career._"

"I'm _sorry._"

"You put me through _so much_," she added, tears cascading down her cheeks. I couldn't tear my eyes away from her pain; it hurt to see her cry, and I couldn't stand it.

"Sophia, I can't tell you how sorry I am –"

"All because," she interrupted, "you didn't want to study." My senses froze at her words.

"No –"

"You said it yourself!" she shouted through my hazy mind. "You said you were too lazy to study on your own, so it was a good thing you were tutoring me!" Her words were slurred, but somehow, I understood her perfectly.

"That's not it at all –"

"You played me for a _month,_" she said, piercing my eyes with her devastated look. "I think you've done enough damage."

"Soph, _please –_" But before I could explain, she stumbled into the depths of the cave, tripped and fell.

And this time, I wasn't laughing.

I sat down beside her, realizing she had fainted, and lifted her head onto my lap. She didn't understand, my head was pounding, there was still a faint buzzing in the back of my mind and I couldn't _think._

I love her. I care for her more than anything else in the world.

And it was just like me, really, to ruin it.


	13. Embarrassing Secrets

**Chapter Thirteen: Embarrassing Secrets**

_May 29_

I'm screwed.

No, really. I'm officially screwed for life.

"You're not _screwed_, Soph," Rose said calmly, handing back my Defence notes and giving me an encouraging smile. "So what if you don't understand the question?"

"Rose, it's understanding the _answer_ I'm more worried about," I mumbled, pushing my breakfast plate a few inches to the side of the table so I could set my pile of parchment in front of me. "I don't get it. How does an Imperius curse just _force _you to do stuff? You have to know _something._"

She raised an eyebrow. "I'm pretty sure we've had this conversation before."

"Rose, I'm _begging._"

"Unfortunately, begging isn't going to make me suddenly know Defence." She waved a hand in front of me, and I looked up. "Go talk to Al."

I narrowed my eyes. "No way in hell."

"Sophia, you're being absolutely _ridiculous –_"

"We'll see who's being ridiculous when he has a job and I'm stuck on streets because of _him,_" I told her, still unbelievably angry. I mean, who has the right to invade in someone's personal files like that?

Not to mention, it's completely embarrassing that Al knows I had a 'T' in Defence.

But who cares what he thinks? Not me!

Rose bit her lip. "I really don't think unemployment is what you're worried about here, Soph. He's been apologizing for a week. He changed your grade back. What more is he supposed to do?"

I sucked in a deep breath and looked back down. "I don't know." After sneaking back into Hogwarts last week, I'd been avoiding the idiot as much as possible. Not only was I furious about what he did, but I was embarrassed.

I mean, I woke up with my head in his lap. I have no idea how that happened, but it was enough for me to scream bloody murder in the morning.

And then clutch at my ears, because I had one _hell _of a hangover.

Really, though, I wasn't sure which reason I was avoiding him for more: the fact that Al had basically ruined my chances of becoming a healer or the fact that he _probably_ has figured out how I feel about him, with how I was acting.

But I'm guessing not, since he's been chasing me and trying apologize.

"Soph…" Rose nudged my arm with her hand, but I kept my eyes on my notes. "_Please_ forgive him. I don't think it's as bad you're making it seem to be."

"But Rose, he was _using_ me!" I exclaimed, dropping all pretence. A couple of groggy neighbours at the Gryffindor table muttered sleepy, grunted protests, but I ignored them.

Seriously, what are they going to do? Yawn at me?

"He wasn't using you."

"I don't even know _why,_" I said miserably, slumping my head into my arms and sighing. "What was the point? Is he really _that_ lazy?"

"No," Rose answered firmly, leaning over and stealing a biscuit off my plate.

"Then what?" My question was met with silence. Does she not know, or does she not feel like answering? Or is her mouth full of biscuit – _hey_!

What the hell – that little biscuit stealer! I was going to eat that!

… wait a minute.

"You know."

Rose squirmed a little, focusing on chewing _my_ biscuit. "Know what?"

"You know why he really changed my grade!" I accused, pointing a finger at her. Actually, I was pretty sure she was right; she and Al were pretty close, even if they didn't hang out anymore. "Tell me!"

"Soph, he has to tell you himself." My eyes narrowed again.

"Do you really think he's going to _tell me himself_?" I demanded. How naïve is Rose, exactly?

Well… she _is _the one who fell for Scorpius' broom closet plan.

"He has to!" she declared defensively, finishing her biscuit and wiping off the crumbs from her jeans. "Soph, I have a Care of Magical Creatures exam in –"

But in how much time her exam was, I never found out. Mind you, I never took the stupid class; who wants to actually deal with strange creatures _outside,_ when it's raining and cold and – never mind.

I really don't like the cold. Could you tell?

My point is, before Rose could finish her sentence, the boy in question stopped eating breakfast at the other end of the table where he and his friends were sitting, leapt up on top and promptly nudged dishes aside with his foot.

What the _hell_ is he doing?

And how does he still look this hot in the morning?

"Oi, listen up!" His booming voice carried throughout the Great Hall, cutting through the sleepy haze in a very obnoxious manner. "I have an announcement."

I raised an eyebrow and glanced at Rose. "Do you know what this is about?" I asked, and she shook her head.

"I have feeling it might have to do with that list of yours," she commented as Al motioned for the other three boys to clamber on top of the Gryffindor table, Scorpius still stretching a little.

Even _he _was sleepy.

Oh, what exams do to us all.

McGonagall wasn't pleased. "Mr. Potter, come down this instant!" she barked from the teacher's table, but Al only waved at her cheerfully before completely ignoring her, addressing the dispersed students. Even at our table, there was only one student in the long distance between Rose and I and the boys at the end of the table.

Eh, how many people did you expect to be up at six in the morning?

Al opened his mouth to make his oh-so-important announcement when Luke pushed him out of the way, looking determined. "_First,_" he said loudly, ignoring a scowling Albus, "I would like to announce that I am not as old as you think I am."

I narrowed my eyes. How old is he talking, exactly?

… I can't believe I believed him for a single second. We're _twins_. How stupid am I?

Better question is, what the hell is he talking about?

"I am _actually_…" He pulled out his wand and waved it at himself, and tiny little dots appeared on his chin. I watched as he put his hands proudly on his hips and smiled widely, eyes closed. The black dots had begun to expand and – well, there wasn't another word for it, really – _grow._ The little dots turned into sprouting black hair that was reaching for the ground.

Dear Merlin, Luke was growing a _beard_! And furthermore, it had started changing colours. _Colours_! Where did he learn this spell? It changed from blue to red to green to purple until finally, _finally,_ stopping at grey.

Wait, no. It just turned pure white. I clenched my eyes shut, opening just a tiny bit at Luke's glowing beard, longer than freaking _Dumbledore's_ beard, which, by the way, he could tuck into his belt.

"I'm actually a hundred and ten," Luke decided, apparently very pleased with himself.

My brother is an idiot.

…well, at least we know that he shouldn't grow facial hair in the future?

I think Luke should've transfigured a baby face. Would've made more sense.

The hall was slowly filling from shock to laughter – except for McGonagall, who was still in shock. So much, in fact, that she had stopped trying to get the boys off the table and just stared, open-mouthed.

I think it might be old age.

"Wait!" Aiden was scrambling to the front, nearly knocking the other boys off the table in the process. I tried to contain my laughter from my apparently a hundred-and-seven-year-old brother to look at him.

"I dyed my hair," he declared, trying to level up to Luke's slightly taller height.

"Aiden, you're forgetting something!" Rose called, giggling all the same. A momentary look of horror passed his expression before whipping out his wand and turning his hair bright _pink_.

"Pink's his colour," I commented over the laughter echoing across the hall. "Wait –"

Aiden's hair promptly turned a gross shade of purple before falling off.

_All of it._

It was like a wig in the bacon platter.

Ew.

His horrified expression was priceless as he gripped at his shiny bald head. He leapt down the table and sprinting out of the hallway; Scorpius took this opportunity to steal the spotlight. He turned around, jumped off the table and skidded in front of a bewildered McGonagall, who was at a loss for words. He kneeled.

Oh dear Merlin.

"He's not going to…"

"I think he is," I whispered to Rose, who was staring at him with wide eyes.

He was going to _propose._

At least it comes under the definition of 'embarrassing oneself'?

"You are the best teacher in the entire world!" Scorpius declared, and I began to laugh. "Your lectures are absolutely riveting. Unfortunately," he added, beginning to look solemn, "your beautiful features are much too distracting for me, and I found myself lost in them during class."

I raised an eyebrow. Is he trying to propose or justify a low mark in that class?

Also, McGonagall is _old…_

She was speechless as he pulled out a tiny plastic box from his robes, and I thought I saw a flash of a grin. "Our love is as endless as the oceans!" he began dramatically. "Our love goes beyond all the stars in the universe, past the moon and whatever else that's up there –"

"Get on with it!" called a Ravenclaw girl, who, like Rose and I, was trying to contain her laughter. I mean, here was this skinny little blonde kid crouching in front of this wrinkly old woman innocently eating her breakfast.

I'm pretty sure his ring isn't very…

Yep. It's candy.

He's _dead._

"Professor, will you marry me?" he all but shouted, startling her. Before she could say a word, he ran for the doors, cackling madly. McGonagall had begun muttering to herself, shaking her head as she went after him.

Have you ever heard of someone getting detention on the last day of school?

Our eyes travelled back to Al, who was now standing alone on the table (Luke was sitting and eating his eggs, swearing every time something got stuck in his beard. I rolled my eyes.

Wow, I can see why people find him attractive… _not._

People were staring expectantly at Al, who was looking at me; when our eyes locked, he shrugged.

And promptly started dancing.

I would like to point out that he wasn't drunk.

Or very good at this.

Come on, he was doing some combination of the robot and the hokey pokey!

He danced his way across the table, once or twice stepping on the toast. As he reached the end, he spun around and gave a low bow to the clapping and wolf-whistles, evidently quite pleased with his, err… "_skills."_

The Marauder's first and last performance (those boys really are quite nerdy).

I think I fell in love with the worst dancer in the school. _Smooth._

I guess it's better than being in love with someone who proposed to McGonagall.

* * *

"Do you think I could learn a Patronous Charm in one night?" I asked gloomily, all the excitement of breakfast having worn off. Luke was barely listening to me as he started at his Quidditch plays, frowning slightly.

You know, Quidditch season was over _last month._

"Luuuke," I whined, pushing myself off the couch onto his lap, squishing his parchment and wishing that he still had the beard so I could pull it. "Please help me, the exam is _tomorrow_!"

He absent-mindedly pushed me backwards, still intently concentrating on his notes. My head hit the sofa cushions, arms hugging my Defence notes around me, and I didn't bother getting up.

I'm screwed for this exam.

Just kill me now.

"I'll help you," Al suggested quietly from the armchair, and I shook my head.

"No thanks. You probably have ulterior motives I don't know about."

"Soph, I –"

"Leave me alone," I moaned, closing my eyes. Suddenly the Portrait Hole slammed open, entering a bickering couple.

Looks like Rose and Scorpius are back.

"It was a _joke,_ Rose, honestly –"

"I'm not approving some stupid list you guys came up with for your amusement –"

"Hey, I made that up!" Al pointed out indignantly. They ignored him and the fact that the rest of the Common Room was glaring daggers at them and their very loud voices.

"And roping Sophia into it! Why would you do something like that?"

"It wasn't out fault, she was eavesdropping!"

"I'm sure."

"It's _true,_ we didn't mean for her to –"

"You know what, guys?" I said suddenly and loudly, my voice cutting in between them as I sat up too look at them. "You're both idiots."

Rose and Scorpius were now directing glares in my direction, but I couldn't care less. I was tired, desperate, and just wanted to pass my exam tomorrow so I could get into Healing School. They were being _stupid._

I thought we'd gotten past things like this! It's been _seven_ _years. _Maybe it hasn't been much, but we've grown up enough not to make a big deal out of things that don't matter. I, for one, was tired of arguments like this.

The fire lit out of me, and suddenly I didn't feel like yelling anymore. "You're just arguing for the sake of arguing. If you two want to snog each other's faces off, go do so somewhere else." I flipped around and lay back down of the couch, rubbing my temples and sighing.

"Sounds good to me. Come on, let's get out of here."

Wait a minute. That was _Rose's _voice.

Holy _shit._

I spun back around quickly to see Scorpius gaping at her suddenly cheerful face, calm demeanour and eagerness. Personally, I don't blame him; I myself was wondering whether my best friend had gone mad.

Did she just agree to snog Scorpius' face off?

"Are you serious?" he choked, paling slightly. She shrugged.

"Do you want to or not?"

"_Hell _yes!" And with that, Scorpius dragged her out of the Common Room, a wide, goofy grin evident on both their faces. The room broke out into an excited round of gossip.

Oh, those stupid First Years.

"You're right," said a voice behind me, and I turned to see Al staring at me, expressionless. "We're arguing for the sake of arguing."

I raised an eyebrow. "Excuse me? You can't just expect that I understand why you'd butt into my personal life for some stupid reason –"

"There _was_ a reason!" Al said loudly, shutting the book that was in his lap. "You won't listen to me!"

"Maybe you're not worth listening to!"

I instantly regretted my words as his face crumbled, and he clenched his fists. "You want to know why I did it?"

"Al, it's –"

"I'm in love with my best friend's sister!" The room went instantly quiet again at his declaration, but he paid no attention to them. He stood, gripping his book tightly and searching my eyes. "Are you happy now?"

Without waiting for an answer, he stomped off, and I mouthed wordlessly after him.

What exactly am I supposed to be so happy about?


	14. You Know What?

**Chapter Fourteen: You Know What?**

_June 1_

Graduation ceremonies are so _long_.

Not to mention duller than watching Hufflepuffs play Quidditch (where's the violence, people?).

Seriously, I think I might fall asleep.

Merlin knows I haven't been getting enough of that these days. Exams had only just ended this Monday, and Al's little confession had been bouncing around in my brain a little before that. I don't suppose he could've mentioned it a _little_ later, could he? Even now, his words keep echoing in my mind, over and over and letting my heart break just a little more.

'_I'm in love with my best friend's sister.'_

Who the hell _is _that, anyway?

It doesn't matter; it was stupid of me to think that he could ever be attracted to me, even a little. I don't know who this girl is, and like I said – it doesn't matter.

This is our _graduation._

Despite the fact that it is_ boiling_ in the Great Hall and these speeches take practically forever and this hat is hurting my head, this is one of the milestones in my life. I've spent seven long years at Hogwarts, and believe it or not, it's become more of a home than my _actual _home.

I mean, sure: there have been some tough times at school. I'm pretty sure I only _just_ passed Defence Against the Dark Arts every single year. I worked my butt off for exams, especially OWLs and NEWTs. There have been times that I was absolutely sure I just couldn't do it anymore – it was too hard, too _pointless._ I've been waiting years to begin my life, and now that I'm on the brink of it… somehow, inexplicably, I'm looking back.

Perhaps we all become sentimental at this time in our lives. People always say that this should be the best time of our lives, where we get the chance to enjoy life while we're studying and not be too serious about our careers. Personally, I think that's absolute bullshit; the work we do in our years here follow us for the rest of our lives, and anyone who says differently got an easy way out.

They're _very _lucky bastards.

And even if I didn't get the easy way out, I don't regret any of my hard work. Maybe I didn't get the million friends I was supposed to while I was here. Maybe not everyone in the school knew my name. Maybe I spent more time in the library than sneaking off like other students and getting caught up in their social status. Maybe I didn't do all that.

But now I truly understand why those four idiots came up with that Bucket List.

I get it. Those four marauders – though they weren't really marauders at all, since they never caused any trouble and worked just as hard as I did in school – they wanted something they could remember. Who'd want to remember endless nights in the library and gruelling Quidditch practices and thinking night after night, _when am I ever going to get the chance to do something worth remembering?_

Those boys are a lot like me – sheltered and hardworking. We laugh every day, but we're just so filled with the stress of homework and assignments and tests and exams that we just don't get the time to do the fun stuff that was on the list. When in our seven years would we have gotten time to do the things on our list?

Fact: we're not the kind of people who neglects work. We're the kind of people who, sadly, need a Bucket List with a charm on it to push ourselves to do this stuff. Why else would we find ourselves swimming in the great Black Lake with a supposed Giant Squid infesting the waters? Why would we sneak out to Hogsmeade and try Firewhiskey for the first time, plan a party we normally only attend after Quidditch games, purposefully embarrass ourselves, do something we're scared of and pull a huge prank?

We wanted to graduate.

That's all the List took from us, really.

And now that I'm here, I'm wondering if it was wrong to get so caught up in my work. Should I regret the extra studying when I could've been lounging in the grounds, drinking pumpkin juice and laughing with my friends? Should I regret that my attitude was so focused towards school?

Conclusion? I don't regret it.

You know what I regret? The fact that I spent so much time worrying about The Bucket List when I could've just been enjoying it. Instead of being interested in trying new things, I complained. The threat of not graduating threw me off-kilter into being so resistant to that stupid List, when now that I think about it, it's what made my last month at Hogwarts so amazing.

But we did it. When exams ended, we planned our epic and huge prank. We may have had to sneak some graduation gowns past McGonagall, since we weren't on the list. We _might_ have had to find our seats in the crowds of students, and now we're waiting for the signal to start the water fight.

I guess we're back to the fact that it's really boiling hot and boring and I _wish Albus would just give the damn signal._

I sighed and looked around the swarm of students, waiting at the end. My last name is so far down the alphabet that I'm waiting for nearly every single graduate to cross that stage, gather their diploma and awards, smile for a picture and _leave._

That's right – the Great Hall now has a big, wooden stage where the teacher's table usually is.

Wonder how _that_ happened.

I can't believe there's still sarcasm still left in me. I'm supposed to be _sentimental_!

I tried not to think of the dripping sweat inside my graduation gown and glance at Luke, who was – surprise, surprise – right beside me. His neck was bent in a slightly awkward position, keeping his eyes on Albus, who was supposed to give the signal.

Come on, Al, any day now.

"I'm so bored," I muttered under my breath, slipping slightly in my seat. Luke's eyes flickered back to me, and he grinned weakly.

"Nervous?"

"A little," I admitted. "About the prank or graduation in general?"

"I'm more nervous about the prank, to be honest." He turned to look at Scorpius, who was sitting beside Al. "What's taking so long? We've already been here for an hour!"

"Maybe they're waiting for the right moment?"

"Wish it'd come sooner," he grumbled, crossing his arms. "My butt is sore."

I supressed a giggle and sat up. It's times like these that I'm envious of Luke; he's not waiting for letters and decisions anymore. He knows exactly where he's going and exactly what he's going to do for the rest of his life.

He has a plan.

I really oughta get me one of those.

I hope there's nothing wrong with taking life as it comes, because right now, I don't exactly have a choice but to do just that.

"What's the signal, anyway?" I whispered. Luke shrugged, and I rolled my eyes. "So typical. You guys are the most _unorganized_ –"

"Scorpius said it'd attract a lot of attention," he explained, not shifting his gaze from the two boys. "Then you know what to do. Aiden's going set off the water balloons from the ceiling, I'm going to cast some water in the crowd using my wand, Al and Scorp are casting shield charms against the teachers and you're going to turn on the sprinklers we installed in the walls."

"I know that part."

Luke ignored me, tapping his hands on his legs in anxiety. "This is going to be _brilliant,_ Soph!" I grinned back at him.

His excitement is adorable, what can I say?

I tapped my foot impatiently as another student was called to the stage. "Luke?"

"Hmm?"

"Who's Al's best friend?"

He froze. "The three of us, Soph. You know that."

"Yeah, but…" I bit my lip, trying to think through the heat invading my mind. "Does Aiden have a sister I don't know about?"

He turned in his chair, his attention solely on me. "No, he doesn't have a sister," he said quietly, acting jumpier than before. "Do you mean that all this time, you thought…"

"I thought what?"

"You didn't know who Al was talking about?" he demanded in a whisper, looking horrified. "You really didn't, Soph?"

"How was _I _supposed to know?" I spluttered. "Luke, what do you know?"

He grimaced, looking over at Al as he spoke. "I made a mistake a couple of weeks ago," he began guilt tracing his voice. "Remember that day when I asked out Vanessa?"

"Yeah…"

"Well, we broke up two minutes later, right?"

"Right."

"I went back to the dormitory," he continued. "Al was there. I told him about how Vanessa wanted to hook up with him, and seeing if he actually wanted to."

I began to feel a little sick to my stomach. "What did he say?"

"He refused," he assured me hastily. "Really, he did. But in the process…" Luke scratched his head. "I was kind of distracted. I mean, I had been snogging Vanessa ten minute before and I was reading about Quidditch and I sort of –"

"_Spit it out,_" I whispered menacingly, gripping my hands in fists.

"I told him you're in love with him!" I lost my breath.

"He did _WHAT?"_

Wait a minute.

That was _my line._

How did that come out of Al's mouth?

My head whipped around as he jumped up from his chair. Luke stumbled up as well, pulling me along as Scorpius grinned in Aiden's direction, mouthing something that looked suspiciously like _'Run.'_

It looked as though Al had found out about Aiden and Lily.

Several things happened at once. Al ripped through the crowd and lunged at Aiden, knocking him to the floor. Scorpius cast a large shield charm on the teachers. Luke flicked his wand towards the ceiling; simultaneously causing multi-coloured water balloons to fall and making it rain.

I pretty much just stood there, too in shock to do anything.

I know: _smooth._

The room was in an uproar; parents and some students were ducking their heads to no avail, getting soaked all the same; teachers were breaking the shield charms and attempting to stop the water from coming everywhere – again, to no avail.

Never try to stop the effects of the Weasleys' Wizard Wheezes.

Just saying.

Graduates had pretty much just said "screw it" at this point and caught the balloons that were falling, throwing it at one another. Screams of glee ran through the air; Aiden and Al were wrestling, pushing any chairs in their zone. Luke had done my job and turned on the sprinklers; water was now spurting from the walls, in millions of different colours.

There really wasn't any other word for it.

It was _brilliant._

And suddenly Aiden and Al were joining the water fight. I stood there in awe as Scorpius ran up behind Rose and picked her up, spinning her around before dumping her in a large puddle. Luke was shouting and throwing balloons at – guess who? – Vanessa Brown. Her screams cut through the air and blended with other students, but there was really only one reason I knew it was her.

"_LOOK WHAT YOU'VE DONE TO MY HAIR!"_

I started laughing and caught some balloons, catching up to Rose and pressing them on top of her head where they exploded. We were lost in a frenzy of water and laughter, seeing Scorpius' slicked back hair and looking exactly like his father; Luke's black hair sticking up add odd angles and his gown so wet he looked like an overgrown bat. I probably looked like a mess.

As the thought registered in my mind, Rose pulled me into the puddle and was immediately picked up by Scorpius a second later, disappearing through the crowd. I looked down and observed my wet gown, my hair soaking, all the water in my underwear, my stomach hurting from laughing so hard and just… _enjoying the moment._

Because that's what I needed to do.

That's all we needed to do, sometimes.

And _who cares_ if Al knows that I'm in love with him? For one thing, I don't even know if it's love. Even if he and my brother are friends, the chances of me seeing him all that often are next to _nil,_ and you know what? I'm glad he knows. It should've been me who told him.

So that's what I'm going to do.

I abandoned my gown in a soggy heap on the floor, like most students had done, and pushed my way through the crowd, looking for Al. Some of the younger teachers and parents and siblings had stopped their efforts in stopping the fight and just joined in. I ducked and climbed my way through, so determined I thought I would burst.

And then I saw him.

Well, his back.

He'd abandoned his gown, and his white dress shirt had become translucent. He was throwing balloons at his brother James, all the while trying to hit countless red-heads in the crowd that were no doubt his cousin. The happiness on him was so evident while he laughed, and he was just… _free._

I marched up to him, dread building in me as I grasped at the sides of his arms and turned him around. I came face-to-face with abs. Very nice abs.

Okay, this is _so _not the time…

Unfortunately, he was in the middle of aiming when I turned him around, so the blue water balloon flew out of Al's hand and came in contact with me.

Make that my _chest._

So typical.

"Sorry, Soph!" he yelled amidst the shouting around his, laughing once he saw who it was. "That was for James, hang on a sec –"

"Wait, Al!" I shouted back, tugging on his arm. "I wanted to tell you something." His face contorted in surprise, mid-laugh.

"_Me_?"

"Yes, you!" I said irritably. "I _need_ to tell you something, right now –"

"You mean you're done avoiding me?" he said excitedly, an orange balloon smashing between us. "Brilliant, I thought you'd never forgive me!"

"I haven't yet." I hesitated as his face fell a tiny bit, attention fully on me now. "I just really need to say something, and it's going to be really embarrassing, but I just thought –"

"_What?_" he asked, stepping closer so he could hear my rambling. "Speak up!"

I took a deep breath. "I was wrong! I shouldn't have been mad at you for something so stupid. I regret that I ever complained about the List, or gave you a hard time, because I really didn't mean to."

He came closer, face screwed in incomprehension. "Seriously, Soph, I can't hear you with all this noise and screaming and water –"

"Al, I'm sorry for avoiding you!" His face cleared.

"Is that all? Don't worry about it." I growled in frustration.

"No, that's not –" But I didn't finish. I completely froze up.

Why? Because Al had placed his hands at the base of my neck and my waist and pulled me so close, his breath was hitting my face and I could see the little flecks in his green eyes. I mouthed wordlessly as he glanced around, looking a little nervous.

Why is _he_ nervous? He's the one who's making my hormones go crazy!

"I don't really know what you said, Soph, but listen," he said urgently, looking back in my eyes. "I have a problem."

"But –"

"I'm not done the List."

… _shit._

"Yeah," he said, letting out a nervous laugh. "I swear I thought everything was done, but I checked this morning, and apparently there were _two _things left to do, not just the prank."

I swallowed. "What was the other one?"

"Do something you're scared of. But I don't _get it_!" he exclaimed, looking extremely confused. "I thought when I got in trouble that it would've worked, because I've been afraid of getting in trouble since I was little."

"But it didn't."

"Exactly!" he continued. "And then when I told you I loved you, that would've done _something,_ but I guess because I wasn't really thinking about the List or something that it didn't count either."

"But it should have," I contemplated. Then stopped. Then gasped.

Loved _me?_

"I guess you're over me or something, since you avoided me since then," Al concluded, looking very let down by now, "so I really hope you forgive me for what I'm about to do, because honestly, I can't think of anything else."

"Al, wait –" But before I could get out another word out, he tightened his grip around my neck and waist, leaned down and kissed me.

Suddenly, I was just too aware of everything going around me. His wet lips were pressing against mine softly, hands ground from my neck to my cheek to my hair. My own hands slid up his torso and found his collar, pulling him closer and closer. I didn't want him to let go.

_Splat!_

BLOODY HELL, WHO THREW THAT?

Al and I reluctantly jumped apart as a red balloon hit nonexistent space in between us, exploding in our faces. I spluttered and spit our water, my face becoming very red as my eyes met his again.

He loved me.

Only _I _would think of myself last.

A strange look was crossing his face as I caught my breath. He took one step back as I took one step closer.

"Well, if that didn't work, I'll just go jump off a tower," he said, voice unnaturally high and very loud. "Thanks, Soph, I hope I graduate."

I rolled my eyes. "Excuse me? We're not playing any more games, Al."

"What do you – _mmm_."

I kissed him.

In the middle of a water fight.

And judging by his response, he wasn't complaining.

He smiled against my lips, and I was completely sure there was no better place to snog: in the middle of a crowd of manic graduates, throwing their hats up, filling them with water and flinging them at people, lugging balloons at teachers, laughing and just happy to be.

And there was something in me that was roaring from excitement, something that was giving me a mad desire to throw my cap up in the air and never find it. For once, I was_ living in the moment,_ and there was something that was just so right and safe and carefree at the same time about kissing Albus. Living in the moment, I wished my euphoria would never end, because even if it wasn't love, it was _something._

What more did I want, anyway?

And you know what? I'm ready for the rest of my life. I'm ready to work my butt off for whatever comes ahead. I'm ready to not endlessly worry about something forever. I'm ready to enjoy whatever comes.

And you know what? We're done with the Bucket List, we're done with Hogwarts and, when you think about it, we're at the end of our childhood.

And you know what? It was worth every damn minute.

* * *

A/N: Okay, so if you were wondering about the spell behind The Bucket List: whatever you put on the list, it corresponds according to what you subconsciously think is right. So Al wasn't actually afraid of getting in trouble or telling Sophia he loved her, because getting in trouble isn't that big of a deal to him and he already knew Soph loved him back, so what was there to be afraid of? He _was _afraid, however, that kissing Soph would mess up whatever they had - so yeah, that worked for him. ;)

How did the bucket list add up? Let's see!

_1. Swim in the Black Lake_

_2. Plan a Party_

_3. Sneak Out to Hogsmeade_

_4. Drink Firewhiskey_

_5. Embarrass yourself on purpose (Sophia – spilled potion on herself; Albus – danced on table; Luke – attached a long, grey beard to his face; Scorpius – proposes to McGonagall; Aiden – dyed his hair purple)_

_6. Do something you're scared of (Sophia – got on a broomstick; Albus – kissed Sophia; Scorpius – public speaking (McGonagall); Luke – asked out Vanessa; Aiden – told Al about him and Lily)_

_7. Graduation Prank_


	15. His Eyes

**The Bucket List, Al's Point of View**

_**Chapter one, first scene, Defence Against the Dark Arts classroom**_

"Do you really have a 'T' in this class?" I asked excitedly. Gosh, I didn't know that! "Or are you faking it?"

(I actually know people who do that. Quite pathetic, really.)

Wait a minute…

Shit. I think I offended her.

"What do you mean, 'faking it'? Why would anyone want a bloody 'T' this late in the..."

And heeeeere's where I tune out.

Can I snog her, to shut her up?

_**Chapter one, third scene, Gryffindor boys' dormitory**_

I tapped the list with my wand and felt a swooping sensation between myself and my four best friends.

Wait a minute - I only have three best friends...

"Mates, there's someone else who knows," I said nervously, searching the room with my eyes for someone. It didn't seem like anyone else was in there.

"Who?" Luke, having glanced around the room, wrenched the door open. "Soph!" he exclaimed, grabbing her arm and pulling her up from her crouching position. "Were you here this entire time?"

My blood ran cold. She most definitely was. She was under the spell.

Well.

Shit.

_**Chapter three, first scene, Hogwarts grounds**_

WHAT AM I DOING?

If Luke catches me lying next to his sister, he's probably going to kill me. Even if I haven't touched her or insulted her or even done anything.

I am so dead. I am worse than dead. I am -

"Thanks." I faced her, quickly forcing a smile as an unfamiliar thumping in my chest quickened. Shit, I thought I was over that.

"I should get more credit for this tutoring thing," I joked nervously. She didn't laugh. Great, she probably thinks I'm a bigger loser than I already seem. I really ought to get an award for making a fool of myself.

Once again, I really need to learn how to keep my mouth shut. 'Can I teach you how to swim?' What was I thinking?

_**Chapter three, first scene, Hogwarts grounds**_

IT IS FREAKING ILLEGAL FOR HAIR TO BE THIS SOFT.

I'm such a creeper to be playing with my best friend's sister's hair... but oddly enough, I don't find myself complaining. Luke should really know by now that I fancy his sister, so hopefully he won't kill me. So I'm just going to keep doing this.

You know, unless she protests. Then it'd be slightly awkward.

"Interested in making some magic together? My wand is at the ready!"

I snorted as we looked over to Aiden, who was talking to these third-year Hufflepuff girls, basically leading them on. "Younger ones again?" I called out, hoping to throw him off his game, but he waved a hand to shush me.

Well, that was rude.

"I bet they have no idea what he's talking about," Sophia moaned. I laughed a little, trying not to imagine just what Aiden was implying for those girls.

GET THESE IMAGES OF SOPHIA OUT OF MY HEAD. NOW.

I mean, I'm not imagining anything. Nothing at all.

... Merlin, Luke is going to kill me.

I sat around, trying to distract myself by twirling her too-soft hair and laughing at Aiden as he continued to hit on the girls. As they squealed and left, he spotted Sophia looking slightly disgusted and decided to try out a pick-up line on her.

"Soph! If you were a Dementor, I'd become a criminal just to get your kiss."

Aiden and Sophia kissing. Ack. I shuddered at the thought and kicked him. He fell dramatically, smirking at me as Soph unconsciously leaned into me.

This feels too right to be wrong.

So Aiden should stop smirking.

"Imagine if Luke were here." My eyes widened a little as Sophia laughed. Did I say that out loud?

"Oi, Luke!" Aiden called, still smirking at me.

Shit.

"Al, why are you playing with my sister's hair?" he asked, once he had jogged up to us. I immediately untangled my fingers from her hair and pushed myself away from her.

I'm going to murder Aiden and Luke tonight. Scorpius better feel lucky.

_**Chapter three, second scene, Gryffindor boys' dormitory**_

"What are you doing? Come back inside."

... is there someone outside?

"I told you, I don't want the face paint." I scratched my head, breaking my gaze away from Scorpius to look at Sophia, who was leaning out an open window and could slip and fall a hundred feet.

Well, okay.

Hang on.

"Sophia? What are you doing?" I asked nervously, jumping up and making my way over to the window. She leaned back further, and I swear I stopped breathing.

Okay, she is NOT dying for something as stupid as this. She'll only die if I snog her half to death.

Twice.

You know, once I get the guts to.

_**Chapter three, third scene, The Black Lake**_

What the hell is Aiden doing - AAHHHHHHHHHHH!

Okay, phew. Got out of the way.

I surfaced and slicked my hair back, spitting the icy water in Aiden's direction. He smirked at me. "Had to get her in somehow, right?" he said casually, slipping back into the water and pushing himself towards Luke and Scorp, who hadn't noticed a thing. "Sweet-talking wasn't quite helping."

"It was!" I protested before I could stop myself. He let out a superior laugh and swam away, leaving me alone. Then it hit me.

Where did Sophia go?

ShitshitshitshitSHIT! She can't die! I haven't even snogged her yet!

... and once again, I have to stop thinking these thoughts before Luke murders me in my sleep.

Taking a deep breath, I dove in with my eyes open, determined to find her.

_**Chapter four, second scene, Defence Against the Dark Arts classroom**_

The back of the cupboard was REALLY dusty.

I mean, just look at it - you can barely see the mahogany framing through all this dust. Merlin, I think I'm gonna sneeze -

Soph's voice floated out. "Err, how did you do that?"

I raised an eyebrow, still feeling the tickle in my nose. "How did I do what?" I haven't exactly sneezed yet. It's coming, though.

"How did you step through the back of the cupboard?"

I did _what_?

I stepped out, feeling as if there was something horribly wrong. I mean, there was a boggart in there? Right? Instead, I saw myself standing in front of Sophia.

Oh, okay then.

Wait, _WHAT_?

I'm Sophia's boggart? How is that possible? What did I do to her?

I mean, I may be in love with her, but I haven't actually done anything.

I must've stood there forever, dumbfounded in a state of shock before I noticed the replica of me walking towards her.

Shit. What the hell is that boggart going to do?

I rushed into a state of panic, adrenaline pounding in my ears. The only thing I could think of to do (completely forgetting I had a wand) was to push her out of the way - since, clearly, she was too shocked to move.

But instead, I managed to tackle her. Right into the floor, where she hit her head and let out a soft whimper of pain and fainted. My face was screwed in regret as I quickly rid of the Boggart (which was very confused by now) sending it back into the cupboard. I turned back to Sophia and checked her head, moving her blonde hair off her face and lifting the back of her head to feel for bumps.

Then... I realized I was practically straddling her. But she fainted, so it was okay, right?

What am I thinking? It is NOT okay. Not okay at all.

But Merlin, her hair is too soft. That should be illegal.

Sighing slightly, and lifted myself off her and pointed my wand at her. "Enervate."

_**Chapter three, third scene, hospital wing**_

"She tripped," I lied, stuffing my hands in my pockets and avoiding Soph's eyes by looking to the ground. I'm so dumb. Why did I tackle her? Why couldn't I just get rid of the stupid Boggart? Why would I go to such lengths to make sure nothing touched her but me?

Am I just making myself painfully obvious, or what?

I'm stupid. I'm an idiot. I'm a -

Did Pomfrey just call Soph my girlfriend?

Merlin, I wish.

_**In between chapter three and four, Gryffindor Common Room**_

"I didn't_ mean _to, Rose!" She was glaring at me with daggers in her eyes, and I tried to ease the blow by cowering into the foetal position and beginning for her to stop looking at me like that.

In my mind, of course. I can take Rose, she's smaller than a toothpick.

"You bloody tackled her to the ground and didn't _mean _it?" Rose smacked the back of my head and got up from the couch, placing her hands on her hips. "I thought you were in love with her, you've been whining about it for long enough –"

"I didn't mean for her to get hurt," I said miserably, leaning back into the couch. "Just make sure she's okay, please?"

"She's in the hospital, of course she's okay –"

"You know what I mean." Rose sighed and smacked me on the head again.

What the hell?

"That was for not telling her," she told me, rolling her eyes. "I can do that again, if you didn't get the message." She left me as I rubbed my head, cursing continuously under my breath.

I think I need new cousins. The ones I have like to take advantage of that fact that I don't hit girls.

Oh, but I tackled Sophia.

I'm a failure to the guy code.

_**Chapter six, Hogwarts corridor**_

"There was this one girl I liked," I told her, feeling really uncomfortable, "but I sort of gave up on it." Please don't ask who it was. Please don't ask who it was. PLEASE DON'T ASK -

"Why?"

THANK MERLIN ALMIGHTY AND ALL THAT IS SACRED.

How do I get myself in these situations?

"The bet, remember?" I answered, laughing and looking a little more relieved than I should have. I quickly changed the subject, hoping to never talk about that stupid bet ever again. "Anyway, Luke, Scorp and Aiden want your help, right?"

"They do," she moaned, closing her eyes. "Can you believe it?" I became distinctly aware that her hand was still in mine.

Crap. How do I get it out?

"Well, they are pretty desperate," I said, my eyes wide and mind scrambling for ideas. My eyes snapped up to hers, which were still closed.

Oh, good. She hasn't noticed. And now she's rambling.

She's really cute when she rambles.

I watched her pour out all her frustrations and tuned out whatever she was saying. This happens all the time during tutoring, and it's pretty bad - but it's the only time I can stare at her without Luke breathing down my neck and Sophia noticing that I'm checking her out.

Now... how do I get out my hand out?

I could just slip it out now. When she rambles on like this, there's no stopping her, and I doubt she'd notice. I could modify her memory or something - but I don't want to do that. At all.

But the thing is... it kind of feels nice. My hands were cold, anyway - I really should've worn my cloak this morning - and it's not so bad, just holding her hand. It's really smooth.

I began to lazily draw circles into it as she went on and on. She was still talking about flying, or something. Quidditch? What's that?

Oh, right. My favourite pastime.

She suddenly tipped her head to the ceiling. Her eyes were open. Shit. Now what do I do? This would be a good time to let go of her hand. A very good time. Before she notices how long I've been holding it.

But it feels right. And I don't want to let go.

_**Chapter seven, third scene, Defence Against the Dark Arts classroom**_

... why did I just do that? Why did I suggest this? How did I not see this coming? Am I the biggest idiot on the planet, or am I just a pervert? I didn't MEAN for that to happen, I swear! I thought it would be fun!

Really: never in a million years did I think that I would see Soph's white school shirt drenched, clinging to her body -

I'm going to stop before she kills me. Or notices I'm looking.

AND I HAVE TO STOP LOOKING NOW.

Okay. On the count of three.

One...

Two...

Three.

Why am I still looking?

One.

Two.

Three.

GAAAH.

ONE.

TWO.

THREE.

I'm so pathetic, it's not even funny.

"I surrender," I said sheepishly, holding up my hands. Okay. She's smiling. Maybe I can still save myself? Acting like the hero usually works...

"Here, you might want this," I said, pulling off my robes and throwing it to her. She noticed immediately what I was talking about (she was blushing adorably again), but I tried to ease the tension. She did a pretty good job on the shield charm, right?

I'm not pleased because I got to see her bra. Not at all.

Merlin, I'm such a perv. Or a teenage boy. Take your pick.

I HAVE NEEDS. SHUT UP.

_**Chapter ten, third scene, Gryffindor boy's dormitory**_

"So you're not hooking up with her, then?"

"Definitely not," I answered absent-mindedly, cringing at the thought of Vanessa Brown altogether. She was just so... fake. Sophia's real. She's got the most beautiful laugh, and when she gets really passionate about something, like healing, she rambles on and it's like... wow.

Plus, she likes Quidditch. Even if she can't play.

"Good, 'cause my sister's bloody well in love with you, isn't she?"

Hmm, so is the rest of the female population of the wizarding world.

Wait a minute.

Luke's sister is Sophia.

SOPHIA.

Bloody hell, she's in love with me?

"She's... what?" I spluttered. My eyes widened and my jaw dropped halfway to the ground, barely believing what he was saying.

How is she in love with me and hasn't said anything?

None of this fits.

"I - I mean -" I looked over to see Luke spluttering, evidently realizing what he just let slip. Then it hit me.

It's real. He's not lying. Sophia's in love with me.

And I just screwed up everything.

"You're joking, right?" I pleaded, feeling desperation and something like hopelessness surge through my veins. "You've got to be bloody kidding me."

Because after five freaking years, a girl isn't just suddenly in love with you. I was practically counting on the fact that she wasn't, so I could do what Luke was telling me and stop leading her on.

But... I screwed it up. Before it had even begun.

"I didn't mean to tell you," he was saying, his voice sounding far, far away. "It was supposed to be Soph -"

"Shit," I mumbled, barely listening to him. "Shit, shit, shit." Sophia was going to tell me. I haven't told her. I was even going to tell her what I did, before Filch interrupted me and I couldn't get up the nerve to try and tell her again.

Some Gryffindor I am.

"Oi, it's not that bad! She may drool in her sleep, and tends to ramble in her head, but she loves watching Quidditch and she's sort oof pretty in her own way -"

Oh, trust me, Luke. I know.

"She's really angry with me," I mumbled, rubbing my eyes underneath my glasses. "Can't even tutor her without arguing..."

I don't blame her.

But I miss talking to her.

Merlin, what am I going to do?

_**Chapter eleven, the Great Hall**_

"– and it's really rather adorable when you do."

Merlin, I love when she blushes. Her cheeks just go all pink and –

Bloody hell – did she just throw her sponge at me?

I spluttered as the sponge hit my tongue, immediately leaving the muddy taste of, well, mud. I spit it out immediately, wiping my face with the back of my hand. When I looked up her, she looked offended.

"Hey, I just cleaned there!"

You've got to be kidding me.

"You threw a dirty sponge at me!" I spat in indignation, narrowing my eyes. "What for?"

She crossed her arms, clearly not in the mood to answer the question. "You'd better clean up where you just spit." I resisted the urge to scoff in her face. Wasn't she the one who just unreasonably threw a sponge in my face?

The things I do for love.

Suddenly, a wicked thought in my mind. Instead of telling her off or demanded for an explanation, I eyed the bucket behind her, plunged both sponges into the bucket and held them above her hair, squeezing  
all the water onto her hair.

Screw love, it's on.

"Al!" she squealed immediately, shivering as the water hit her back. I had to hand it to her reflexes; she immediately spun around, grabbed the bucket and emptied in onto my head. I laughed, feeling the cool water a relief in the summer heat.

I glanced at her, seeing her blonde hair slicked back and the unmistakable grin that was splashed across her features. Gosh, finally. I hate when she's angry at me. It's really unnerving to see how perfect she looks, even in the image of a drowned rat.

My gaze drew to her lips for the umpteenth time that day, and I scolded myself. No, I agreed not to do anything until she wasn't angry at me anymore. I am going to wait until she forgives me – and hopefully, that day comes sooner or later.

Right now, I have to concentrate. NOT on her lips – on winning this sponge fight!

Ah, shit. Her lips are too enticing for her own good.

(Not to mention I'm too hormonal for my own good.)

Suddenly, I found myself hurling towards her, pressing the sponge against her lips. Honestly, I'm not even sure if it was to stop myself from snogging her into oblivion or not – but either way, it worked didn't it?

Revenge is sweet?

Ugh, I don't even care. I just want to kiss her.

"Al, get off!" she mumbled into the sponge, her soft hands trying to peel my hands off the sponge. I resisted the urge to laugh at her attempts; it was kind of cute to see her squirm.

"Sorry," I said, throwing my head back and laughing. "This is payback."

"Please, Al."

Don'tcaveindon'tcaveinDON'TCAVEINTOTHEEYES.

"Don't think so!" I sang maniacally, thanking Merlin that the sponge was on her lips instead of my mouth. I made a decision. I am not re-thinking it. Not at all.

Okay, when did I fall on top of her?

My chest slammed on top of her body, and I realized that the sponge had completely slipped from her mouth and flew into the air. My hands flew around her, and I realized that I was straddling her.

You know, I kind of like this position –

WAIT, NO.

I HAVE TO MOVE.

Come on, leaning back. Slowly –

"You win," Sophia breathed, her eyes sparkling with mirth. I smirked a little.

"Giving up so easily?"

"Too tired to wrestle," she said, smiling weakly. Is that what we were doing? I'm well aware I was wrestling from myself from snogging with her, but you call that wrestling? I stopped moving and lost myself in the smile, the eyes –

No. I'm moving. Slowly. Backwards.

"Let's call it a tie?" I suggesting, trying with all my might to move. I picked up the fallen sponge and gave it to her, pressing down as a sort of leverage to get up, but my body honestly did not want to heed my mind.

I felt my brain go fuzzy as we locked eyes, her smile fading. My own laughter died in my throat, and I felt myself leaning forward without my brain's permission. Time completely ceased to exist.

Nonononono, I decided this! There was no way I was going to snog her until she wasn't mad at me. I knew that if I asked her out before I had told her (or cleverly avoided telling her), she would never forgive me later. I don't think I could stand that.

And frankly, I don't think my body really cared.

I pressed my hands against the floor, close to her face and leaned forward again. My brain decided to so rudely interrupt my train of thought as I centered on her lips.

Alright, let's try this again. Slowly, lean head back.

No? Okay, how about lift the chest up and stop looking at her lips.

GAH.

I – just – can't – lean – back!

You know what? I give up. I'm gonna snog her right now.

With that final thought, I leaned forward, my breath hitching in my chest before –

"Get off." I blinked.

"What's wrong?"

"Get off," she repeated, wiggling underneath me if efforts to get away. "Just get off me." I froze in my position, face falling. Merlin, I thought she liked me! Then I realized my face wasn't nearly close enough for her to have noticed I had been trying to kiss her.

Then I understood.

"You're angry again."

It was like a cold bucket of water doused me with reality, and I sighed in disappointment… and relief. If I ever wanted to go out with her, this is what I had to do. I almost just threw a good decision out the window.

Reality is cruel.

Damn those lips.

_**Chapter thirteen, Drunken Giggles – in original story**_

_**Chapter fourteen, the Great Hall**_

WILL THIS EVER END?

Seriously, who finds it interesting to hear every single person's achievements over the year?

I glanced at Scorpius, who was making kissy faces at Rose and efficiently slowing down the prank. The plan was that Scorp would somehow tell me when to give the signal – and I really have no idea why I couldn't just decide when, but Aiden insisted.

So here I am, stuck waiting for Scorpius to piss me off enough to make noise.

Plus, I can't stop thinking about how I'm pretty sure Sophia got over me. I mean, I told her I _loved_ her! In front of every single Gryffindor in the school (except for Rose and Scorpius, who had gone off to snog)! Obviously, she doesn't feel the same way anymore; why else would she still be avoiding me?

AM I NOT ENTITLED TO FAIRNESS IN MY LIFE?

Someone up there must love to torture me. Curse you, Merlin.

_**Chapter fourteen, the Great Hall**_

I bloody can't hear a word she's saying.

"What?" I tried to step closer to hear; there was just too much screaming and laughing, and the sprinklers kind of loud and all the splashing was just… dear Merlin, I can't hear her rambling over all this!

It's like her mouth is moving, but nothing's coming out.

Plus, the fact that her shirt has become translucent is really not helping my attention span.

Oh shit, not this again.

MUST. NOT. LOOK. AT. CHEST.

I stepped closer to her, hoping whatever she had to say would distract me. "Seriously, Soph, I can't hear you with all this noise –"

"Al's I'm sorry for avoiding you!" My spirits lifted considerably, especially since the current matters at hand were not so great.

I'm in deep shit, you know.

"Is that all?" I asked happily. "Don't worry about it." And without listening to another word she had to say (and she _was_ speaking, but I don't really remember any of it), my hands found their way to her neck and waist and pulled her close to me, rendering her into silence.

Oh, maybe I should explain why I'm doing this.

"I don't really know what you said, Soph, but listen," I said nervously. Oh jeez, did she always smell this nice – _no, _Al, _focus._ "I have a problem."

"But –"

"I'm not done the List!" I blurted out, cutting her off completely. She froze, her eyes widening and her expression shifting enough to only say one thing:

_Shit._

"Yeah." I gave an anxious laugh. "I swear I thought everything was done, but I checked this morning, and apparently there were _two _things left to do, not just the prank."

See how lazy I am? I left something like _that_ to the last minute!

She swallowed, licking her lips. I tried not to groan. "What was the other one?"

"Do something you're scared of. But I don't _get it_!" I exclaimed, scrunching my forehead in confusion. "I thought when I got in trouble that it would've worked, because I've been afraid of getting in trouble since I was little."

"But it didn't?" she confirmed.

"Exactly!" I continued. "And then when I told you I loved you, that would've done _something,_ but I guess because I wasn't really thinking about the List or something that it didn't count either."

"But it should have." Her voice was so casual about it that I felt like deflating. Like one of those water balloons that James keeps smacking into my back.

Luke said Sophia _loved_ me. How does someone get over that so quickly?

"I guess you're over me or something, since you avoided me since then," I said, still deflating like that stupid balloon, "so I really hope you forgive me for what I'm about to do, because honestly, I can't think of anything else."

This is payback for always biting her lip in front of me, is all.

Do you know how tempting that is?

So before she could protest about how much she was over me, I pulled her closer and pressed my lips insistently against hers. Immediately, my insides exploded.

No, really. E-X-P-L-O-D-E-D.

This is freaking _awesome._

And the next thing I knew, a water balloon had burst on my face. We went staggering backwards, staring at each other's red and wet faces, messy hair and trying to catch our breath.

Single best moment of my entire life.

It's too bad it's over.

"Well, if that didn't work, I'll just go jump off a tower," I told her, my voice embarrassingly high and loud. I was deflating again. Moment was completely and utterly over. "Thanks, Soph, I hope I graduate."

But she completely surprised me. Instead of running away like I thought she would, she rolled her eyes and stepped forward.

"Excuse me?" she asked, raising an eyebrow. "We're not playing any more games, Al."

_Huh?_ "What do you – _mmm._"

She kissed me.

THANK MERLIN.

I knew I loved her for a reason.


	16. An Epilogue Of Sorts

**Chapter Fifteen: Epilogue**

"That was _epic._"

I couldn't help but grin at Al's statement. I grabbed his hand and leaned my head on his shoulder, watching as students and parents loaded their things (and themselves) onto the Hogwarts Express.

This was it. The end of school.

We're leaving our home.

Al seemed to sense my sadness - although, it might've been obvious since I was continuously sighing into his ear. "Soph, it's okay," he muttered, shifting on the bench we were sitting on to put an arm around my waist. "It's not like the world's ending."

"Shut up and let me wallow in peace."

He laughed and placed a kiss on my forehead. "Whatever, I'm just happy we're out of here!"

"That was not peaceful."

Al chuckled. "Let's get on the train."

"Not yet." I lifted my head and watched the students board, craning my neck to see whether my parents had arrived by carriage. "I'm hiding from my parents."

"Why?"

"I'm in _so_ much trouble."

Al nodded wisely. "It's cruel to be in trouble for so much epicness."

I grinned. "I love you."

"I love you, too," he said cheerfully. "Did you know Rose was trying to convince me otherwise? She said I didn't know you well enough."

"She said that to me, too," I remembered with a jolt. "But considering she and Scorpius exchanged their 'I love yous' during the water fight as well, I think Rose can just piss off."

"Exactly." He looked at me, amused. "Do you really think that sitting on a bench in broad daylight is going to hide you from your parents?"

"Bollocks."

He laughed again. "Let's get on the train." We stood up; Al began to drag me towards the doors, but I was too busy looking back at the school longingly. The majestic castle was peeking out from behind the trees.

"I know," Al whispered in my ear, breaking into my thoughts. "I'll miss it, too."

I laughed softly, wiping a few tears from my eyes I hadn't noticed come out. "I never thought I'd be one of those girls, crying at graduation." Shouldn't I be blubbering on to my friends about how I'm worried I'm never going to see them again and they'll pat me awkwardly on the back to reassure me as I become hysterical?

Nah. I'm not _that_ crazy.

"It just means you care, that's all," Al said reasonably.

"Yeah." I sniffed and following Al onto the train. "By the way, whatever happened to your bet with James? You know, the one where you couldn't date anyone until graduation so you could get a Firebolt?"

He snorted. "What about it?"

"Didn't you lose?"

"I don't really need a Firebolt," he confessed as we passed compartments, peeking in to check for Luke, Aiden and Scorpius. "My broom was pretty fast. I kept up the bet as an excuse to stay away from the girls who liked me for my father's fame."

I groaned. "Why couldn't you tell me that?" It would've saved me weeks of fretting over the stupid bet and how unfair it was.

"You mean you're _not_ in it for the money?"

"Of course not," I huffed, acting offended. "I'm in it because you're pretty damn fit. Why else would I look at you?" He stopped and turned to me, kissing me shortly before shaking his head and pulling me along again though the crowds of people.

Maybe I should stop inflating his ego...

"And we're almost there," Scorpius announced as the train began to slow down. He turned to Rose sleeping in his lap as the rest of us cheered, jumping up to pick up our bags.

"I can't believe we all finished the List," I said to no one as the train stopped and we made our way outside. Honestly, The Bucket List should've been something to do in an entire _year,_ and we somehow managed all that in a month.

And I'm glad we did it. It was the most fun I've had in a long time.

I stepped onto the platform - and quickly moved forward as Al and Aiden came out behind me. Aiden was sporting a black eye from their fight at graduation, and Al was point-blank refusing to talk to him. I watched as Aiden gave up, clapped him on the shoulder, apologized again and walked away.

"You need to forgive him," I called. Al didn't look at me.

I strode up to him and put a hand on his arm. "You gave him a black eye?"

"I apologized for it." I shook my head. Al's eyes fell to the ground, barely noticing I was there; his mind was far away. "Soph, you don't understand. Lily's my _sister,_ and Aiden always toys around with girls. He should've told me, at least."

"He's your friend." My voice was quiet, enough to get his attention. "You're going to have to trust that he won't hurt her."

"You believe him, don't you?" he asked bitterly, kicking the ground at random. I stepped in front of him and put my arms around him. He seemed to sense that I didn't want to get in the middle of this and sighed. "Eventually, okay?"

"Good," I whispered, reaching on the tips of my toes to kiss him. "Write me?"

"I will," he promised. "See you soon!"

"Bye!" I watched as he met up with his family, Rose and Scorpius already there. Mr. Weasley was looking pale, as through his worst nightmare had come true; I sniggered and turned away, waving at Aiden with his own family. Suddenly, an arm slung onto my shoulder.

"Ready to go?" Luke asked, also seeing Scorpius and trying not to laugh. I shrugged.

"I guess," I told him, giving him a much-needed hug. "Just a little sad it's all over."

"If it helps, we're grounded." I peeked over my shoulder and found our fuming parents.

I grinned. _"So _grounded."

Ah, well. Life's too short to not enjoy.


	17. SEQUEL!

The sequel to this story, _The Snogging List_, has been posted.


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